Real Brother
by FrankElza
Summary: Casey finds out he is Johnny Barrett's son and struggles to understand who he is and where he belongs, this leads Casey on a path of self destruction and strains the emotional bond between him and his real family. Contains some themes of self injury and suicidal tendencies.
1. Discovery

**Authors note:**

**Sorry for the delay. Hope you all enjoy my second big story. I've made this story in varying POV so hopefully it isn't too confusing. **

**It's quite emotionally intense at times. It may be triggering at times for anyone who has dealt with self harm or suicidal tendencies, so for those of you please be safe when you read this. **

**I'm not 100% happy with it but hopefully someone will enjoy. Please don't forget to let me know what you think, I really appreciate the feedback. Thank you. :)**

**Real Brother**

**Casey 19, Brax 32, Heath 28, Kyle 24, Andy 28, Josh 18**

**Chapter 1 – Discovery**

**NORMAL POV**

Josh stood staring at the envelope in his hands. It was something that the police had handed over to him and Andy after they found it with Johnny's belongings.

Andy wasn't really interested in anything to do with his father. After all, Johnny had left them when they were young, leaving Andy to look after Josh and watched his mother struggle to manage raising two boys by herself.

Andy walked out of the kitchen, ready to go for a surf. Josh approached him.

"Andy don't you even want to go through Dad's things with me?"

"Josh, Dad was a jerk. Why would I care what he had in his belongings?" Andy replied sharply, causing Josh to sigh. There was just no arguing with his brother.

Andy stormed out of the house, leaving Josh alone.

Josh sat down at the dining table and opened the envelope, dropping its contents on the table. The envelope contained a wedding ring, wallet, scrunched up papers with numbers written on them and some dirty old badges.

Josh started looking at the bits and pieces and thought back to his Dad, he hadn't known him for long when he left, only when Josh was 7 years old. Josh pulled out loose coins out of the wallet and digging into a small compartment he pulled out a scrunched up picture. Un-raveling it he saw a baby picture. Josh smiled at the picture and felt satisfied that his father was carrying a baby picture of him in his wallet.

Andy returned back from his surf and saw Josh still sitting at the table. He rolled his eyes.

"You're not still looking at that crap are ya?"

Josh turned to his brother. "Look, at least I know I meant something to Dad."

Andy raised his eyebrow at him. "He always carried a photo of me around in his wallet." Josh explained.

Andy walked over to Josh and saw the photo and took the photo from Josh's hands. "What are you doing?"

Josh watched Andy stare at the photo before he threw it down at Josh. "That's not you."

Josh stood up to follow his brother who had walked out of the room. "What do you mean?" Josh questioned.

"I mean that photo is not you." Andy replied in a rude tone.

"Well it's not you." Josh snapped.

"No."

"Well if it's not me then who is it and why would Dad have someone else's photo in his wallet?" Josh yelled.

"I don't know Josh, but it is definitely neither of us. What can I say? Who knows if Dad cared about us at all?"

"Andy! Dad was great to us!" Josh yelled at his brother's remark.

"Right." Andy slumped down on the couch.

Josh stood swaying with his hands in his pockets. "So who do you think it is then?" Andy sighed.

"You're not gonna shut up about this are ya? I guess I have to talk to Mum and find out." Andy stated. Josh turned and walked out of the room.

Andy spent the next day investigating the mystery photo. He contacted his Mum and she confirmed that Johnny did have another kid with some other women but she didn't know who it was. Andy did some more detective work, asking some of his father's old friends if they knew anything, until one person whom had dealings with both Danny and Johnny were able to give him the answer.

Andy read the name on the piece of paper he was given by the man, Andy's eyes widened in shock at the name, 'Casey Braxton'. _It couldn't be?_ He thought. The Barrett's and Braxton's did not have a very good relationship and ever since he heard his father raving about the Braxton's ruining their lives he had it in for them and any time he had stepped foot into Angelo's restaurant he had not gotten on well with Brax and Kyle who managed the place.

Andy walked home and saw Josh sitting on the couch watching TV. "Where did you get to?" Josh questioned.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Andy replied.

"Hey, what happened to that baby photo that was in Dad's wallet?" Josh questioned.

"I took it to find out some answers." Andy said.

"And?" Josh pushed, wanting to know who the baby photo was of.

"And turns out Dad really was a dog! He went messing around with the wrong women." Andy explained.

"Yeah well...Do we have another brother?" Josh asked.

"You could say that."

"And who is it?" Josh continued to pester. Andy sighed, what difference would it make if Josh knew who his supposed brother was? He would make sure he didn't associate with him anyway.

"This picture is of Casey Braxton." Josh frowned. Josh had heard about the Braxton's and occasionally saw Casey at the gym.

Josh gasped. "You serious?" Josh stated, sounding surprised.

"Would I have said that if I wasn't?" Andy replied freshly.

Josh didn't know what to think of having a half brother, it was a huge surprise, but he wasn't as opposed to the idea as Andy was.

Andy was annoyed at the revelation and denied the fact that Casey was any part of his family, but he knew this was a great way to get back at the Braxton's for everything them and their father had done to his family. He knew it would tear the brothers apart.


	2. Confronting Casey

**AUTHORS NOTE:**

**I know Andy isn't meant to be Casey's brother but for my story he is. Hope you enjoy the second chapter. Please let me know what you think, I would appreciate it greatly :)**

**Chapter 2 - Confronting Casey**

**ANDY'S POV**

It was only the next day from finding out the truth about Dad that I wanted to get this news out in the open. When Josh had left for school I grabbed the baby photo of Casey and shoved it into my wallet. I couldn't help but smirk to myself as I headed over to the gym to put my plan of destroying the Braxton's lives into play just like they had done to us.

I knew it wouldn't take much as Casey was such a push over and so sensitive. He relied on his brothers for everything. Boy was I going to love wallowing in their misery. I still couldn't believe my Dad could stoop so low as going with Cheryl Braxton. It made my blood boil.

**NORMAL POV**

Andy walked into the gym and saw Casey helping out a customer. Casey noticed Andy glaring at him and he knew he was trouble from what Brax and Kyle would come home and brag about Andy coming into the restaurant and causing a stir. Casey approached Andy.

"What do you want Andy?" Casey asked.

Andy looked around with a smirk. "Ah I dunno, maybe I want to use the equipment, maybe I don't."

"Andy if you're not here to work out stop wasting my time and get out." Casey said firmly.

"Ah why the hostility...after all we are family." Andy laughed.

Casey stood back stunned. "What are you talking about?" Casey questioned. Andy laughed again and ignored Casey.

"Andy just leave, you have no real reason to be here. I have better things to do than stand here arguing with you." Casey pushed in a more firm tone.

"Ah but I do have a reason." Andy smirked and walked around the gym equipment taunting Casey.

Casey was beginning to get annoyed and just wanted to get on with his work, but Andy was making it hard and he did not want to start a fight and ruin his professionalism.

"Well what is your reason Andy?" Casey questioned, facing Andy and folding his arms.

Andy pulled the photo out of his pocket. "This...Remind you of someone?" Andy laughed. "Little bro."

Casey stared at the picture and knew it was him. "That's me." He said stunned.

"Yeah...smart aren't ya?" Andy taunted.

"What are you doing with a picture of me?" Casey demanded.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Andy teased and went to turn away but felt Casey shove him annoyed.

"Stop messing around Andy! Why do you have a baby picture of me? What do you want?" Casey yelled, thankfully all of the customers had left by now so no-one saw Casey confronting Andy.

"Well...I guess I can tell ya...I have this picture of you because it was found in my Dad's belongings and do you know why that is?" Andy said moving in closer to Casey.

* * *

><p>Brax had arrived at the gym where he was meeting Casey after work. He was surprised to see Andy talking to Casey and squinted his eyes to concentrate on listening.<p>

Andy leaned towards Casey's ear. "Turns out you're not a Braxton. Ya Mum had it off with my Dad and then along came you." Andy whispered in an evil tone and pulled away laughing.

Casey didn't know what to feel, he was numb. This couldn't be true.

"You're lying!" Casey yelled. This alerted Brax and he moved in closer.

"Do you really think I want any relation to you at all Casey? I hate that we share the same father. I wouldn't mess around with this." Andy taunted.

Anger grew inside Casey and he shoved Andy hard. "Get out! Get out!" Casey yelled.

Casey started punching at Andy and Andy fought back. Brax quickly intervened and forced Casey off Andy.

"Casey! Casey! Leave it!" Brax shoved Casey away.

Andy felt his bleeding lip and laughed at Casey's reaction. It was exactly how he wanted it.

"This is priceless." Andy laughed. Brax glared at Andy. "Get out of here!"

Brax turned back to Casey who had shut down and stared at Andy. "Case, you okay? What was that about?" Brax asked concerned as he held a hand on his shoulder.

Casey didn't answer and only pushed Brax off and stormed out of the gym. "Casey?" Brax called as he was left baffled.

Brax stormed up to Andy. "What the hell are you doing here? Ain't it bad enough you've come into my town causing trouble you have to start fights with my brother?" Brax yelled.

Andy scoffed at the comment. "Hey I'm just having some fun, spreading the news."

"What news?" Brax demanded.

"Awe nothing, just that Casey ain't ya brother like you though he was." Andy explained.

"What? Don't you go around saying garbage like that!" Brax yelled.

"See for yourself if ya don't believe me." Andy gave an evil smile and showed Brax the photo.

Upon seeing the photo in Andy's hand Brax snatched it away. "This is Casey! What gave you the right to have a photo of Casey?" Brax yelled.

Andy laughed so Brax gripped his shirt tight. "Answer me!"

"It ain't my photo. It was found in my Dad's belongings...so yep that means Casey is the spawn of my Dad and your Mum." Andy said smugly.

Brax glared at Andy, not wanting to believe it was true, surely it was some sick joke he was playing to stir up trouble, there was no question that Casey was not his full brother.

"Get out and stay away from this family!" Brax ordered in a death tone.

Andy smirked and left the gym, with Brax watching him fiercely as he left. Brax stood staring at the photo. Brax shoved the photo into his jeans and stormed out.

* * *

><p>Brax saw Casey outside the surf club staring at the waves. Brax gently touched his arm. "Case?"<p>

"Brax that can't be true. It just can't." Casey said in shock.

"Yeah I know mate. Look why don't we go and talk to Mum and sort this out?" Brax suggested, only having Casey turn around and glare at him.

"What? You really believe all this?" Casey demanded.

Brax sighed not knowing what to say and that gave Casey his answer. Casey huffed and stormed off but Brax grabbed him.

"Hey Case, stop. Come on. I don't want to believe it, I swear, but we need to get answers." Casey sighed, still too much in shock to really fight.

Brax pulled Casey towards his car and the two headed towards Cheryl's house back in Mangrove River to confront the truth.


	3. Meeting with Cheryl

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**So everyone knows, I'll update this story probably once or twice a week. **

**Also in the next chapter Kyle and Heath find out the truth, this chapter centers on Cheryl.**

**Enjoy. **

**Chapter 3 – Meeting with Cheryl.**

**NORMAL POV**

Brax pulled up at Cheryl's place and turned off the ignition. He glanced over at Casey who was staring blankly at his hands in his lap.

"Come on Case. Let's get this over with."

Brax got out of the car and waited for Casey to get out before he guided him towards the front door.

"Hi Darryl, Casey. How's two of my favorite boys?" Cheryl greeted.

Brax pulled Casey inside the house and glared at his mother not answering. Cheryl huffed.

"Well fine then don't answer ya mother, see if I care. It's not like I spent my life looking after ya." She huffed again with more sarcasm in her tone.

"Shut up Mum, we're here to ask you some questions." Brax replied forcefully.

Cheryl crossed her arms in defense and glared at her boys. "Yeah what?"

Brax let go of Casey and approached his mother. "Is it true about Casey?" Brax questioned.

"Is what true Darryl? Don't play cryptic with me." Cheryl looked at Casey who had his eyes cast downwards, waiting to hear his fate.

"Is it true that you slept with Johnny Barrett and that Casey is his son?" Brax spat out, with a slight venomous tone to his words.

Cheryl turned away at being caught out and Casey shifted on the spot.

"Isn't there better things you could be doing than pestering ya mother with dumb questions Darryl?" Cheryl replied, trying to deny the truth she was being faced with and Brax knew Cheryl was dodging the question.

"Mum! Just answer the damn question!" Brax yelled and hit his fist against the table.

Cheryl moved awkwardly and Casey glanced at Brax and his mother. Cheryl still didn't answer.

"Mum! Casey needs to know! So stop being so gutless and thinking about yourself and tell the truth!" Brax yelled again.

**CHERYL'S POV**

Having my oldest and youngest sons on my doorstep questioning me over something I kept hidden for so many years and had hoped would never surface made me panic stricken.

I could not face this and have my youngest son find out the truth. It was all in my past it could not be brought up now. Darryl was demanding answers from me but I just couldn't do it. I did not want to hurt my Casey nor did I want him to hate me.

Finally I just could not handle Darryl's harsh questions anymore and I cracked under the pressure and facing my boys, I blurted out the truth.

"Yes! Yes it's true. Casey is Johnny Barrett's son!"

**NORMAL POV**

Brax stood staring in shock at his mother while Casey stared at the floor feeling numb.

"Mum how could you?" Brax yelled.

"I don't have to explain anything to you Darryl!" Cheryl replied defensively, feeling a slight sense of shame.

"Then explain it to me. Why didn't you tell me? My whole life I thought I was part of this family, but I'm not!" Casey suddenly yelled, surprising both Brax and Cheryl.

Brax turned to face his brother with a concerned look on his face. He couldn't image how Casey must be feeling having his whole life ripped out from under him.

"Casey you're my baby, I didn't see any point in you knowing. When I got pregnant I had to let Danny believe you were his kid and it just made sense to keep it that way with no-one but Johnny and me knowing the truth. Johnny only ever saw you once after you were born, but I gave him a photo to remind him of his son. The truth was never meant to come out." Cheryl explained.

Brax huffed at the reason. "Well too late Mum, because it has!"

Brax pulled the photo out of his jeans pocket and waved it in his mother's face. Cheryl was stunned to see the photo she had given Johnny being held by her son.

"How did you get that?" Cheryl asked.

"Does it matter? You lied to Casey, to all of us!" Brax yelled.

"Darryl please..." Cheryl pleaded.

"No Mum!"

Brax was cut off from more of his rant when Casey interrupted, after having taken the news in.

"So I was a mistake then, just because you and Johnny Barrett decided to have it off with each other one night?" Casey yelled.

Brax placed his hand up to calm his brother but Casey only shook his head.

"I'm done with you, Mum!" Casey shouted, pain written all over his face.

"Casey stop and think about what you're doing to me. You can't just cut me off like that I'm your mother." Cheryl pleaded.

"I don't care. You lied to me my whole life! I don't want anything more to do with you!" Casey yelled and turned to storm out of the house.

"Case?" Brax called.

"Casey!" Cheryl yelled after her son, but Casey just kept running. Brax glared at Cheryl.

"Well I hope you're happy Darryl. Look what you did bringing Casey down here, knowing the truth has ruined him."

Brax was angry. _How could his mother blame him for this? _

"I'm not the one to blame here, Mum. You should have told him the truth! Besides it was Andy Barrett who told him in the first place after finding that photo of Casey that you had given Johnny!" Brax yelled.

Cheryl turned away again and her eyes became glassy. "What do you want me to say Darryl? That I'm a terrible mother? Go ahead tell me I've done nothing but ruin all your boy's lives and that I deserve to have my youngest son hate me!" Cheryl choked out.

"Arg Mum! Stop pulling the pathetic sob card! This isn't about you! Casey's life has just been turned upside down and all you care about is yourself!" Brax shouted.

"Darryl." Cheryl sighed.

"What Mum? You going to tell me ya not thinking about yourself here? Explain to me then Mum what's the story? Is it true what Casey said? Did you just have a once off with Johnny Barrett?"

Cheryl sighed. "Darryl sit down." Brax hesitantly sat down at the kitchen table with Cheryl sitting opposite.

"Casey was never a mistake..." Cheryl started.

"Well that's great to know Mum." Brax snapped.

"Darryl please." Cheryl sighed and started again.

"I met Johnny one night when he came over to talk to your father about a business deal. Your father and I were having arguments all the time and Johnny, he just seemed so charming...so after that night I started meeting up with him in secret, he already had a partner but was having troubles with her too as she was struggling after Andy was born. We both needed a means to escape. We didn't mean for it to go as far it did, but I fell in love with him. He had a different side than your father but when I became pregnant I had to tell your father it was his otherwise he would have killed me for cheating on him."

By now Brax had calmed down some but was still not happy that his mother kept this quiet for so long and that Casey had to find out from the worst of people.

"That still doesn't explain why you couldn't tell Casey earlier when Dad went to jail and wouldn't be able to hurt you." Brax said.

"Casey was still a kid. I wasn't about to explain to a kid that his father that went to jail wasn't his real father and that you and Heath were only his half brothers." Cheryl explained.

"Yeah alright, but what about when Case was older? You had plenty of opportunity he's not a kid anymore." Brax continued, wanting to know the full truth.

"I know that Darryl but I didn't want to see my baby get hurt."

Brax scoffed. "Bit late for that isn't it?" Brax stood up from the table.

"Please Darryl, you have to make Casey understand my reasons and tell him to come back." Cheryl pleaded.

"I don't know Mum. This has hit Casey pretty hard I don't know if I can change his mind." Brax replied.

Brax went to walk out of the house. "Darryl please." Cheryl added.

"I have to find Casey." Brax concluded and walked out of the house.

Brax found Casey standing on the bank of the river. "Case you okay?"

Casey didn't answer. "Case I know you're upset, but telling Mum you don't want anything to do with her isn't the right way to go about this mate."

Casey still didn't answer. "Case?"

Brax grew more concerned at his brother's state of mind at that moment. Brax was startled when Casey suddenly let out a scream.

"Arg!" Casey leaned over and collapsed to the ground.

Brax ran over to him. "Casey?" Casey hung his shoulders.

"I can't believe this is all real. Everything I ever knew..." Casey trailed off.

Brax gently rubbed Casey's shoulder. "I know mate. How about we go home and talk this out huh?" Brax suggested in a comforting tone.

Casey glanced up at Brax and saw straight through him, the man he once admired and looked up to wasn't there, it was some stranger standing next to him. Casey felt numb and his legs shaky as he stood up with the help of Brax. Casey and Brax went back to the car and headed home.


	4. Telling the truth

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Thank you so much to everyone who has read my story, marked it as a favorite, followed or reviewed. It means a lot. :D**

**Heath and Kyle find out about Casey, and in the following chapter Casey starts to take action on his feelings. **

**Enjoy.**

**Chapter 4 – Telling the truth**

**NORMAL POV**

Casey stayed silent the entire way back to the Braxton house. Walking inside Brax and Casey were greeted by Kyle and Heath.

"Where did you two get to?" Heath asked.

Brax rubbed Casey's arm. "You alright?" Brax asked.

"Yeah. I just want to be alone. I'm going to my room." Casey replied in a whisper and avoided all eye contact with the three strangers in the house.

"Okay, just yell if you need anything." Brax replied softly.

Casey walked off into his room, leaving Heath and Kyle confused.

"What was all that about?" Kyle asked. Brax sighed and joined his brothers at the kitchen table.

"Case and I just went to see Mum." Brax explained.

"What for?" Heath asked.

"To find out the truth." Brax continued in a low voice.

"About what?" Kyle questioned.

Brax let out a heavy sigh and cupped his hands out in front of him on the table.

"Casey wasn't Dad's son."

"Huh?" Heath questioned and Kyle gave a confused look.

"He was actually Johnny Barrett's son."

Heath stood up in shock. "What? You have to be kidding me? What kind of sick joke is this?" Heath exclaimed.

"It's no joke Heath. I honestly wish it was, but it's true. Mum confirmed it today." Brax confirmed.

"Wh...Where did all this come from?" Kyle asked completely baffled by the news.

"Apparently Johnny had a baby photo of Casey in his wallet and Andy confronted or should I say teased Casey about it." Brax continued.

"I can't believe that scumbag would do that! I'm gonna smash his face in!" Heath yelled.

Brax shook his head. "No, it won't help the situation Heath, believe me. I want to kill Andy Barrett too, but we have to think about Casey."

Heath sighed and sat back down at the table. "Geez poor Casey." Kyle said.

"What do we do now?" Heath asked.

"I don't know. We just have to treat Casey the same. I mean after all he still is our brother and our family." Brax replied.

"Right, we don't need to be related by blood for Casey to be our little brother." Kyle added.

Brax stood up and headed towards the front door. "Where you going?" Heath asked.

"For a surf. Need to clear my head."

"Wait, I'll come with you." Heath replied and got out of his chair and headed out of the house and down to the beach with his older brother, leaving Kyle at home with Casey.

* * *

><p>Casey came out of his room to get a drink and saw Kyle on the couch reading through a music magazine. Kyle glanced over at Casey as he walked towards the kitchen.<p>

"Hey Case you alright?" Kyle asked but Casey just stood in a daze. He was too numb to realise what was going on around him.

"Case?" Kyle called. Casey turned to the sound. "Huh? What? Sorry." Casey mumbled.

"That's okay. I just asked if you were okay. I mean the news is huge, how are you taking it?"

Casey just stood still. He did not want to talk about this it just made it all too real. Facing Kyle, Casey spoke in a matter of fact tone. "I don't have a choice, it's my life."

With that, Casey walked into the kitchen to get his drink. Kyle was left confused and concerned for his brother he seemed way too calm for the situation.

"Casey? Casey? You can talk to us if you need to, we're all still your brothers and we're here for you. You don't have to go through all this on your own." Kyle called out.

Casey just ignored Kyle. _How could he say they were all still brothers? He wasn't related to Kyle at all._

Casey stopped and turned back to Kyle. "You know, you were right." Casey spoke with a blank tone.

"Huh? Right about what?" Kyle asked confused.

"When you told me in the desert that Danny said I was a mistake. You were right."

Kyle stood up and approached Casey, concerned for his brother who was clearly upset.

"Casey I never meant any of that. You know I was in a bad place and was only trying to hurt you. You're not a mistake." Kyle explained, trying to reassure his brother.

"How can you say that? I was the one who killed your father! Brax and Heath's father!" Casey yelled and turned his back to Kyle.

He had always blamed Danny's influences on him for his behavior but all along it was all him. He had murdered someone. Now he knew he was now and always had been a bad person at heart.

"Look why don't you come and sit down and we can talk. I'm sure Brax and Heath will be home soon." Kyle encouraged.

Casey had so many mixed feelings inside him, he didn't know what to feel, and his mind was going crazy.

"No! Just leave me alone!" Casey shouted and slammed down his drink on the cupboard and ran out the door.

When Heath and Brax returned from the surf they noticed Kyle sitting on the couch with a worried expression.

"What's up?" Heath asked.

"I don't know. I'm really worried about Casey. I know this is hard on him but he came out saying stuff about me being right about him being a mistake when I'd taken him to the desert and started yelling how he murdered Dad." Kyle told the events of what had just transpired.

"Is he in his room?" Brax asked.

"No. When I tried to get him to sit down and talk he just yelled at me to leave him alone and ran out." Heath and Brax swapped a glance.

"Should we go look for him?" Heath asked. Brax sighed.

"Nah, knowing Casey it'll just make things worse. Let him cool off and clear his head. He'll come back when he's ready." Brax turned to walk into his bedroom, full of worry over his baby brother, but hiding it the best he could.

"Alright, well I better get back home to the Misses. Let me know if you need anything." Heath said. Kyle nodded.

"Yeah thanks mate." Brax replied. "Bye." Kyle added.

Heath walked out and across the hall to the extension unit he and Bianca shared.


	5. Interaction with Andy

**Chapter 5 – Interaction with Andy**

**CASEY'S POV**

After running from the house I found myself sitting on the beach staring out at the ocean. I always felt so free out there and I wondered if I was to go all the way out into the ocean how much of my life I would forget.

I was stupid to think I was acting in self defense the day I shot Danny Braxton, my mind must have been so clouded over, but in truth I was a cold blooded killer. The three I once could call my brothers, I had taken away their father and they were strangers.

I was ashamed at the person I was and knowing I was part of another gene pool just made me feel so weak and small in a big world, knowing I could now never fit in. I didn't know how to take it all in. I have never felt so alone in my life.

I was shaken out of my thoughts when I heard a yell coming from down the beach. I slumped and tried to ignore the calling when I noticed Andy and Josh walking towards me. I did not want to be dealing with them right now. I did not want to be dealing with anyone.

**NORMAL POV**

"Hey there Casey." Andy laughed.

"Andy let's just go, okay." Josh pleaded as he noticed Casey's paled face.

"Relax Josh. I'm just having a little fun." Andy smirked.

As much as Josh was curious to get to know Casey better, Andy would not allow it. Josh could sense Casey was upset and figured he did not need to hear his brother's taunts.

"Case my man, what are you doing? Not even gonna say a hello to ya new big brother?" Andy laughed.

"Andy come on." Josh pushed.

"Nah wait a minute." Andy waved Josh down.

"Just leave me alone Andy." Casey whispered.

Andy laughed at how hurt Casey was feeling he couldn't stop now, he was loving this.

"How's it feel to know you aren't a proper Braxton?" Andy laughed.

"Andy stop. Leave him alone." Josh protested and received a glare from Andy.

"No-one asked for your opinion and last I checked Josh, you don't tell me what to do." Andy told his brother forcefully.

"Everything I've ever known is a mistake." Casey whispered as he went back to a daze, forgetting Andy and Josh were standing before him.

Andy laughed. "Nah little bro, you got it all wrong. You're the mistake." Andy said frankly.

"Andy!" Josh snapped and grabbed his sleeve, but Andy pulled away and stepped closer to Casey.

"What Josh? Casey needs to understand that just because his Mum screwed with our Dad doesn't mean he's wanted in our family. He'll never be part of our family and I bet he won't even be part of the Braxton's family anymore. I mean the bond between those real blood brothers with the same father...they can't have a half-bred in there."

Casey stared at Andy. "It's true you know. I remember Dad talking with a woman one day and they were arguing. Maybe they were arguing about not wanting you and I bet Brax, Heath and Kyle won't give a stuff about you anymore." Andy laughed and walked off with Josh chasing behind him yelling.

Casey stared into the distance and gripped handfuls of sand, even as a baby no-one really wanted him and Andy was right about his past brothers, he was just some strange kid to them now.

"What's the point?" Casey whispered and stood up. "What's the point? I am nothing but a mistake! I don't belong here!" He shouted and ran up the beach towards Angelo's bar.

**CASEY'S POV**

I drank bottle after bottle of alcohol, but no matter what I did I could not stop the racing thoughts going through my mind. Andy was right, how could Brax, Heath, or Kyle want me anywhere near them? They believed family was everything, but now our unbreakable bond was no more. I was not their proper brother, a Braxton.

I just can't stay here anymore. I had to make things right. I didn't know where I would go but I knew I could no longer stay in the Braxton house. I had to head home and pack my things.

**NORMAL POV**

Brax paced about in the house, it was getting late and the time had reached after 9pm and he had not heard back from Casey.

"Brax settle down. I'm sure Case is just laying low somewhere thinking this off. You should get some rest, you look tired." Kyle spoke.

Brax sighed. "How can I? Our brother is out there and I don't know what's he's feeling." Brax replied distressed.

"I know you're worried about him. So am I, but getting this worked up isn't going to help anyone. Look, try and get some rest and I'll work your shift at Angelo's tomorrow, that way you can stay here and look for Casey if he doesn't come back." Kyle offered.

Brax rubbed his hand through his hair. "Thanks mate."

Brax walked down into his bedroom and lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. _Had he been responsible for this? If he had protected Casey better would it have made any difference?_

* * *

><p>It was early morning when Casey stumbled back towards the Braxton house. He felt dizzy and could barely walk, tripping up on several occasions. A few houses down Casey leaned over and vomited into the bushes and groaned. He continued on his way until he reached the house.<p>

By the time Casey had walked up the path dividing the house and Heath's extension house he could no longer function and collapsed onto the ground, vomiting as he fell to the floor.


	6. Downfall

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Thank you so much to the readers and reviewers, I appreciate it so much. :)**

**Enjoy**

**Chapter 6 – Downfall**

**NORMAL POV**

Heath and Bianca swapped a glance at the crashing noise they heard outside their apartment room, across the hall from the Braxton's house.

"What was that?" Bianca asked.

Heath shrugged and went to open the door. Heath's expression turned to shock when he saw Casey falling in and out of consciousness and choking on his own vomit. Heath lifted Casey's chest up and slapped his face.

"Come on Case, wake up!" Heath yelled.

Bianca stood in the doorway after hearing her husband's voice. "Heath what's going on?" She asked quickly.

"It's Case. He's drunk himself stupid! Come on Case stay with me." Heath said.

Bianca could hear the frustration and worry in Heath's voice. His brother's meant the world to him. Bianca rushed and banged on Brax's door.

"Brax! Brax!"

Brax groaned and opened the door and quickly snapped out of any tired thought he had when he saw Heath trying to keep his brother awake. Brax ran out the door and shooed Heath away, getting in behind Casey and sitting his brother upright against his body.

Brax gently shook Casey's head. "Casey wake up! Casey!" Brax yelled.

Casey continued to drift in and out of consciousness as vomit continued to expel from his mouth. "Damn it Casey! Come on!" Brax yelled a little louder.

**HEATH'S POV**

I stood in shock at the sight of my baby brother choking on his own vomit and losing consciousness. I hated to admit it but part of me felt scared when he wasn't responding to mine or Brax's assistance while the other part of me was fueled with anger at his stupidity to get drunk enough to land him in this state.

I just wanted to shake it all out of him and make him better again. Why did he do this and not come sort it out with me, Brax or Kyle? My family means everything to me and I'd hate for something terrible to happen to any of them.

Bianca rushed back out of our apartment.

"I've called the ambulance. They're on their way." She notified us and watched on.

I stood up from kneeling at Casey's feet and wrapped my arm around my wife. "Thanks."

Bianca gave a reassuring kiss on my cheek. I was thankful she was there to hold me together at a time like this. Sighing, I hoped the ambulance would hurry up.

**NORMAL POV**

Brax, Heath, and Bianca watched on as Casey was loaded up in the ambulance. As soon as the ambulance took off Brax stormed into the house to grab his car keys.

"Wait! I'm coming with you!" Heath shouted.

"No stay here and let Kyle know what's happened." Brax replied quickly.

"Brax you can't keep me away from coming with you. I'm worried about Casey too." Heath argued.

"Yeah sorry mate. I just want to make sure Case is okay." Brax replied frazzled.

"I'll let Kyle know, you two go and see to Casey." Bianca said.

"Thanks Bee." Heath replied quickly before racing out after his brother.

Kyle felt his phone ring in his pocket and quickly set down a customer's order before racing out the back to check his phone. He was surprised to see Bianca's number come up. Kyle redialed Bianca's number.

"Kyle. I have some news." Bianca spoke.

"What's going on? Has Casey come back?" Kyle asked as he heard Bianca sigh.

"Casey has been taken to the hospital. Heath and Brax have gone with him now." Bianca explained in a soft tone.

"What? What happened?" Kyle said in panic.

"Casey collapsed on our doorstep completely drunk and losing consciousness." Bianca explained, hearing Kyle gasp on the other end of the line.

"Geez. I have to get down there." Kyle panicked.

"Kyle you have to stay and manage Angelo's no-one else can cover for you."

"I know but these are my brothers. I have to be there for them. " Kyle pushed.

"I understand, but by the looks of how Casey was there isn't much you can do. I'll keep you posted if I hear anything." Bianca reassured.

Kyle sighed. "Fine. I'll finish my shift here then go to the hospital. Thanks Bianca."

Kyle hung up his phone and tried to focus his mind back on his work, but he just couldn't stop thinking about Casey and how he acted the previous night before all this happened.

* * *

><p>Brax and Heath ran through the doors of the hospital and crashed into the front desk.<p>

"My name is Brax and my brother Casey Braxton has been bought in through emergency, where is he?" Brax gasped in panic.

"Sir, I need you to remain calm and just take a seat. Someone will be with you shortly." The lady spoke.

"That's not good enough! We need to see him now! Make sure he's okay!" Heath yelled, but unlike Brax he let his anger towards the situation represent his worry for his brother.

"Please as soon as we know something we will let you know." The lady assured.

Brax huffed and pushed Heath away from the counter. They stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Casey being rushed down the hall on a hospital bed. He had an oxygen mask over his face and was struggling and choking on the bed.

"Casey! Casey!" Brax yelled as he chased after the emergency team, until he was pushed out of the room by one of the nurses. Brax tried to look over the nurse.

"Sir please wait outside."

"He's my brother! I need to know if he's okay!" Brax shouted.

"We have to stabilise your brother's condition first before we can properly treat him." The nurse explained.

"What does that mean?" Brax questioned.

"Please. I won't tell you again. If you do not leave us to do our job, we will have security take you off the premises." The nurse warned.

Brax held up his hands in defense. "No. I'm going. Just please tell me as soon as there is any change." Brax pleaded.

"Of course." The nurse nodded before turning to head back into the hospital room.

Casey was still vomiting and struggling to gain consciousness, until his condition worsened and his body started to shake violently in a seizure. The doctors kept him stable on the bed, trying to keep his oxygen mask on and kept him rolled on his side to prevent aspiration.

"Janice grab the activated charcoal and set up for IV fluids. We need to flush this boys system now!" One of the doctors yelled to a nurse.

Brax and Heath saw a nurse rush out of Casey's room before rushing back in with a handful of supplies and equipment. Another nurse stood monitoring Casey's vitals. "Name, Casey Braxton, age 19. Reason for hospitalization, severe alcohol poisoning. Symptoms upon admittance; severe vomiting with risk of aspiration, seizures, and loss of consciousness. Blood Pressure 150/95, low Heart rate 55, pale mucous membranes, and low temp."

The doctor forced a tube down Casey's throat and into his stomach then proceeded to force the activated charcoal solution down the tube. Casey gagged and struggled as he vomited out the toxins within his system through the tube.

Brax and Heath could hear the violent gags of their brother and glanced at each other with a worried expression. Once the doctor was satisfied that enough of the alcohol had been removed. He ordered the nurses to set Casey up on IV fluids whilst he left to get some medication to settle Casey's stomach.

One of the nurses, Amanda started placing in the IV catheter while Janice the other nurse set up the fluid bag. By the time they were finished the doctor had come back and given Casey his medication and sedative through his drip line and took the chart of Casey's vitals from the nurse and read over it. His Heart rate had increased since the sedative and medication, and his color had returned slightly.

"Keep monitoring him closely for the next few hours and notify me if he has any more seizures." The doctor told the nurses and left.

Brax ran up to the doctor. "What's happening? How is he?"

The doctor sighed. "We have managed to stabilise your brother but he still has quite a lot of toxicity in his system. We flushed his stomach and we have him on IV fluids but he still needs to be monitored closely." The doctor explained.

"Can we see him?" Brax pleaded.

"I'm sorry but until we know your brother is fully clear of any chance of having another seizure from the alcohol poisoning."

"What? What do you mean he had a seizure?" Brax questioned, as more worry rose inside him.

"Why didn't anyone tell us?" Heath demanded.

The doctor gave a sigh. "We had to make sure Casey was stable first..."

"That's bull Doc! We had a right to know!" Heath yelled, only for Brax to place a hand on his chest to calm him.

"There was no time to explain your brother's condition. It is our duty to make sure a patient's health comes first." Heath turned away annoyed.

"Yeah, alright. Well what about the seizure how'd it happen?" Brax asked.

"Your brother had a serious case of alcohol poisoning and the toxicity in his system had affected his brain signals dramatically causing him to have a seizure." The doctor explained.

"He's gonna be alright isn't he?" Brax panicked, trying to peer into Casey's room.

"We have done all we can, now we just need to monitor him until we are sure."

"Well when do we get to see him, instead of wasting our time out in the halls?" Heath snapped.

"Please just be patient, I know this is hard for you both..."

"Hard! That's our baby brother in there and you lot won't let us see him damn it!" Heath shouted.

"Heath calm down! I don't like this either but we have to let them do their job, for Casey's sake." Brax yelled, receiving a huff from Heath.

Even though Brax was worried about Casey he had to stay strong. "I will let you know when you can see him but for now I have another job to get to." The doctor walked off into another consult room, leaving Heath and Brax concerned and frustrated.

Brax and Heath approached Casey's hospital room and peered through the window. They could see the nurse monitoring Casey's vitals closely and Casey lying on his side, asleep on the hospital bed with an oxygen mask on his face and a fluid bag attached to his left hand. After a few moments Heath's temper again got the better of him and he startled Brax out of thought when he slammed his hand against the hospital wall.

"Damn you Casey! You are so stupid!" Heath shouted and paced down the hall. Brax ran his hand through his hair as he watched Heath raving.

Brax felt his phone ringing in his pocket and pulling it out he saw that it was Kyle. "Hey mate." Brax greeted.

"Brax! What's going on? Bianca called me before and told me Casey was taken to hospital!" Kyle shouted.

"Yeah, he has severe alcohol poisoning." Brax replied in a quiet tone.

"Is he alright?" Kyle asked and heard Brax huff.

"They say they're doing everything they can. They've pumped his stomach and have got him on fluids now."

"Well I'm almost finished my shift at Angelo's and I'll be right over." Kyle replied.

"Yep, okay. Bye." Brax hung up the phone and continued to stare through the hospital window.

Heath couldn't take being in the hospital anymore, it was beginning to agitate him. He stood back next to Brax and took another look at his younger brother in the hospital bed.

"Look mate if they're not going to let us see him. I can't stand hanging around here waiting besides I have to get home to Bianca and let her know what's going on. You let me know as soon as you hear anything." Heath told his brother and received a nod from Brax.

"Sure mate. I understand. Kyle's coming down soon anyway." Heath patted Brax on the back and exited the hospital.

Kyle ran into the hospital a few hours later and saw Brax sitting on a chair outside Casey's room with his head in his hands.

"Hey, have you heard anything?" Kyle asked but Brax only sighed.

"They still won't let me in. They say he's still in recovery." Brax almost shouted towards the room. Kyle sat down next to Brax.

"How'd this happen?" Kyle asked. Brax shrugged.

"I shouldn't have let Case go off on his own. I knew he wasn't able to handle the shock of the news." Brax said sadly.

"Brax you can't blame yourself for this." Kyle tried to comfort his brother.

"Well who..." Brax was cut off mid sentence when he was approached by the doctor.

"Casey has woken up and has shown no signs of any more complications from the alcohol poisoning. You can come in and see him now, but only one at a time."

Kyle shrugged and motioned towards Brax. "You go, he's closer to you, and he'd be likely to need you with him more than me." Brax nodded and followed the doctor into the room.


	7. Stranger

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Thank you so much to sarasidile3, BluePeacocke, sexiboisgiggler, iceteddy2001, SpiderMonkey98, ChloeHomeAndAway, Bella Lilac and fanficforyou for all your wonderful reviews and support, as well as my other readers. **

**Enjoy. :D**

**Chapter 7 - Stranger**

**NORMAL POV**

Casey was moaning and trying to pull the oxygen mask off his face, but one of the nurses stood by to make sure it was kept on. Brax took a seat next to Casey's bed and went to grab hold of Casey's hand but Casey pulled away. Brax just put it down to Casey's disorientation and rested his hands on the bed.

"What were you thinking Case?" Brax whispered.

Casey only moaned again and turned away from Brax to stare up at the ceiling.

"Is he okay?" Brax questioned.

"He's still recovering so he's still very confused and disorientated." The nurse, Amanda explained.

"Why won't he look at me? Are you sure the alcohol didn't lead to any brain injury? He's pulling away from me like he doesn't know who I am." Brax panicked.

"I assure you, your brother has sustained no lasting effects of the alcohol toxicity his brain signals are fine." The doctor explained. Brax slumped back down on the chair.

"How are you feeling Casey?" The doctor asked.

"My throat hurts and my stomach feels...urg." Casey groaned.

"Well that's because we had to force a tube down your throat to clean your system. The discomfort will wear off in about a week maximum." The doctor explained.

Casey glanced at Brax and pulled the oxygen mask away from his face fully.

"I want to be left alone." Casey groaned. Brax stood up and looked down at his brother.

"Case, it's me Brax. I'm here for you." Brax gently smiled but Casey again turned away.

"I want to be left alone." Casey repeated.

The doctor motioned to Brax. "I'm sorry I'm going to have to ask you to leave." The doctor ordered.

"You can't do that, he's my brother!" Brax shouted.

"Please, it is in the patient's best wishes that he be left alone." Brax took one more look at Casey and followed the doctor out.

"I'm sure once your brother fully recovers he will be more inclined for visitors." Brax nodded and walked over to Kyle.

"So what happened?" Kyle asked.

"Casey didn't even want to look at me and wanted to be left alone. I'm still not convinced he hasn't got something going on from the alcohol. It was like he didn't recognise me or want to."

Kyle shrugged at Brax's comment and the two headed back home.

**BRAX'S POV**

I felt a sigh of relief when the doctor told me I could finally see Casey. Kyle had tried to tell me I shouldn't be blaming myself for not protecting him but somehow I couldn't fathom that. He was my baby brother and I was meant to protect him, no matter what and now I've let this happen. If I had gone out to look for him last night I might have been able to stop all this.

I saw how weak Casey looked laying on the bed with the Oxygen mask. I couldn't help but smile knowing he had pulled through, but something about his demeanor seemed different. He kept pulling away from me and when he did glance at me it was like he was staring straight through me. It just didn't feel right to me, but the doctor assured me everything was fine, but how could it be?

**CASEY'S POV**

I knew I'd woken when I saw myself in a hospital bed. The last I remember was going back home with the plan to pack my stuff then everything went fuzzy and black. I felt a horrible pain in my throat like it was swollen and my stomach felt all gurgly and sick and I had this uncomfortable needle stuck in my hand with a weird sensation running through it, not to mention the bright lights of the hospital were just too much for my eyes.

The thing was that I was awake. It wasn't meant to be like this, I should have been able to combat the emotions I was feeling but they were still there and I was living another day to feel it all again.

Seeing Brax sitting next to me just brought back what I had wanted to leave my life for. His concerned stares at me, I'm not his problem, I never was. I just couldn't bear to have that stranger sitting in my room when I felt so horrible and like I didn't belong.

Why did I make such a stupid mistake? Maybe if I'd drunk one more bottle it would have made a difference and I wouldn't be lying here awake. I'd be lying in a box forgetting about my life that was never mine. If only...


	8. Deliberate act

**Chapter 7 – Deliberate act**

**NORMAL POV**

The following day Brax went to the hospital to visit Casey. Walking into the room he saw Casey sitting up in the bed, he was still connected to the fluid bag and looked a little groggy but Brax was glad to see his brother more alert. Casey rolled his eyes when he saw Brax walk into the room. _Why can't I just be left alone? _ Casey thought. Brax sat down next to Casey's bed and looked at his brother.

"How are you feeling?" Brax asked.

"Fine." Casey replied in a grumpy tone, not taking his eyes off the bed sheet. "I want to be left alone. Can you go?" Casey ordered.

Brax scoffed. "Not happening." He replied firmly and leaned in towards his brother.

"What?" Casey snapped under his brother's watchful stare.

"Don't you what me Case. What were you thinking doing something stupid like this?" Brax questioned firmly. Casey shook his head and huffed.

"What?" Brax questioned.

"What a joke." Casey replied, pointing to the name above his bed, only to receive a confused look from Brax. "Casey Braxton? It should be Casey Barrett...or unknown." Casey scoffed and Brax let out a huff.

"Casey will you stop it. You think getting highly intoxicated with alcohol to the verge of almost dying is some kind of joke?" Brax shouted.

Casey stared at Brax blankly. "Almost? Almost isn't good enough." He replied in a melancholy tone and turned away.

This really set Brax's emotions off. "Casey look at me!" Brax shouted and stood up, pulling Casey's face up to look at him. "Don't you dare speak like that! Don't you even think about that!" He yelled in an angry tone.

Casey just stared up at Brax with no emotion. "About what Brax? Suicide?"

Brax turned away. He couldn't believe Casey was even thinking this. He felt so angry he wanted to punch something. Brax ran his hands through his hair and let out a frustrated sigh before turning back to Casey and leaning down on the bed to stare his brother in the eye.

"Casey, you get this thought, out of your head, right now, or I swear I'm gonna belt it out of ya." Brax warned in a deathly tone.

"What difference does it make?" Casey yelled back. Brax pulled back frustrated.

"It makes a world of difference Casey!" Brax matched Casey's angry tone and yelled back.

**CASEY'S POV**

Brax was staring me down telling me how I shouldn't feel like killing myself was an option. What does he know? He's not in my position and hasn't had his life ripped out from under him! I couldn't shake the feeling of being such a failure with my attempt. I really didn't need this.

I had far too much going on in my head and I was still feeling stick from all the alcohol I had drank. I didn't want to be in the hospital, I didn't want all these questions, and I certainly did not want someone telling me how I should be feeling. I just wish everyone would leave me alone.

**NORMAL POV**

"Shut up! I don't have to listen to you. You don't even know what it feels like!" Casey snapped at Brax and turned away to lie down against his pillow.

Brax gave an exhausted sigh and sat back down in the chair. "No Casey I don't. So explain it to me!" Brax spoke firmly but Casey just ignored him.

"Casey talk to me." Brax ordered but Casey only shook his head.

"Brax just go away and leave me alone!" Casey snapped, before collapsing back on the bed feeling exhausted. He did not want to argue about this. He wanted to get away and that was that.

"No. I'm not going anywhere until you talk to me. Make me understand why you have such a stupid thought in your head that you want to kill yourself!" Brax snapped, trying to get through to his brother.

Casey sighed and faced Brax. "Just leave me alone! I don't want to talk to you!" Casey yelled.

Frustrated Brax got up and walked out of Casey's room. He could yell and demand Casey talk to him until he was blue in the face but it wasn't going to change Casey's mind, he was not talking.

* * *

><p>Heath and Kyle had just walked into the hospital when they saw Brax storm out of Casey's room.<p>

"Hey what's up?" Heath asked. Brax groaned and shook his head annoyed.

"How is Casey? Is he up yet?" Kyle asked. Brax stared at his brothers.

"Has the doc said if he's right to come home yet?" Heath asked, but still received a frustrated huff from his brother. "Brax what's going on?" Heath demanded.

Brax let out a heavy sigh. "This incident...Casey's stupidity to get himself drunk to oblivion was a deliberate act!" Brax shouted.

"What do you mean?" Kyle asked and Brax gave him a harsh glare.

"You saying the kid was trying to kill himself?" Heath questioned, beginning to feel angry.

"Can't explain it any better than that." Brax replied blankly.

"What is that kid thinking?" Heath yelled and stormed towards Casey's room. "I'm gonna smack his head in!" Heath shouted.

Brax went after his brother and pushed him back. "Don't." He replied harshly.

"What do you mean don't? I ain't letting my little brother think that trying to top himself is the way to go!" Heath shouted.

"Heath just don't." Brax spoke in a firm tone but hurt filled his voice.

"Brax you can't be serious? Let me into Casey's room so I can belt him one!" Heath yelled at his older brother.

"No Heath, it won't change anything! He won't talk!" Brax snapped.

"Well I'll make him talk! How can you just let him think that, Brax?" Heath snapped.

"Heath, do you honestly think I want my baby brother to kill himself? I already tried to get through to him!" Brax yelled.

Heath shook his head. "Well maybe you didn't try hard enough!" Heath just didn't feel like Brax's efforts had been good enough.

Brax gripped Heath's shirt and pushed him against the wall. Kyle walked up to his older brothers.

"Guys stop! This isn't helping anyone!" Kyle shouted, trying to calm his older brothers. Brax released his grip on Heath and turned away.

"Casey won't listen to anyone if he's in this kind of state. No matter how much you try to force him to. Until he's ready to change his mind on his own, nothing we do is going to make a difference." Kyle explained.

"Well that's a great way to think about this, isn't it Kyle?" Heath snapped sarcastically.

"I reckon once I'm through with him that thought won't even cross his mind!" Heath shouted, clearly in denial of the situation.

Brax gave Kyle a confused look. "What do you mean?" Brax questioned.

**KYLE'S POV**

I sighed as Brax asked me what I meant by saying Casey wouldn't listen no matter how much we tried.

"He's hurting too much." I explained.

"That's no excuse to be thinking about checking out!" Heath yelled.

"Heath enough. Let Kyle explain." Brax said firmly.

Casey's situation reminded me of someone that went to my high school in Melbourne. He was a troubled kid and no matter how much everyone around him tried to help him he just could not see past his inner demons and it made me realise you can't push someone into changing their mind, they had to realise things on their own time.

As much as I hated the thought of my little brother being like that, there was nothing that could be done. This was Casey's fight and it was up to him to battle it out. Heath, Brax, and I could only be there for side-line support.

I went on to explain to my brothers that someone in Casey's position, thinking about suicide and obviously feeling so overwhelmed that their judgment was too clouded over, that no-one could do anything to get through to them unless they wanted them to. Brax and Heath gave me a look that they didn't quite understand my meaning. I can see how they don't understand though it's a difficult thing to understand.

"If Casey's mind isn't ready to see through all this, of what's going on around him, then all he hears from everyone around him is just words with no meaning. He can't just snap out of this."

"So what do we do then? We can't just stand around and do nothing while Casey devises more plans to top himself!" Heath snapped.

"We won't be doing nothing!" Brax snapped back at Heath.

"We just have to be there for Casey. Listen to him when he's ready and not force him to talk but encourage him." I explained.

"What rubbish are you talking about Kyle?" Heath stated, showing slight annoyance.

I knew Heath was not one for civilized realisations, he worked more on his fists to sort out a problem.

"Kyle's right Heath." Brax said slowly.

"What?" Heath replied, obviously thinking Brax was crazy for agreeing with me.

"We can't push Casey. You know how stubborn he is and it'll just force him to shut us out more."

Heath slumped his shoulders at Brax's reply. "We have to do something. We can't lose the little squirt." Heath said in desperation.

I knew both Brax and Heath were hurting but it wasn't until I really saw their emotions come through that I realised how much they were hurting.

"I know you're worried about him we all are." I tried to calm the situation.

Brax went and sat down on a chair holding his hands over his face. "Arg!" Brax yelled. "We're all just going to have to keep a close eye on Casey until he has a break in his thinking." Brax said frankly.

Brax, Heath, and I walked up to Casey's room and peered through the window again. I noticed Heath turn rigid and clench his fists and it wasn't long before he pushed past Brax and me, storming out of the hospital. I stared at Brax, unsure of who to comfort. Brax who was the closest to Casey, or Heath who wasn't thinking rationally through his temper? Brax gave me a head nod to go after Heath and Brax soon followed behind.

**NORMAL POV**

Heath reached the front door of the Braxton house first and slammed his fist onto his front door of his house and ran his hands through his hair. Bianca heard the loud bang on the door and quickly opened it to find Heath standing there distressed.

"Heath what's wrong? Did something happen at the hospital with Casey?" She asked concerned and encouraged her husband inside.

Heath looked at Bianca and she could see fear written all over his face.

"Heath?" She encouraged and rubbed his shoulder. "Is Casey okay?" Bianca pushed.

Heath sighed. "Apparently the kid done this because he wanted to kill himself."

Bianca gasped. "Heath, I'm sorry..."

"I don't want to lose my brother Bee." Heath replied sadly.

Bianca leaned in and kissed Heath. "Case is tough Heath, you know that and you boys have gone through worse than this. Just don't give up on him. He'll need you when he's ready." Bianca comforted in a quiet tone.

Heath sighed again and wandered over to the bed and laid down, Bianca followed and sat behind Heath and gently rubbed his shoulders as he sat thinking and processing everything that had just been thrown at him.


	9. Leaving

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Thank you all so much for your continual support. **

**Enjoy. :)**

**Chapter 9 – Leaving**

**NORMAL POV**

The next day Casey was discharged from the hospital and allowed to go home. Brax had come to pick him up which resulted in a silent car ride home. Casey quickly got out of the car and went to storm inside. He did not want to be around any of his 'brothers.' He felt so numb. Brax quickly followed his brother and grabbed onto his arm.

"Easy Case, you just got out of hospital." Casey glared at Brax and pulled his arm free, storming into the house and heading straight to the room with his things.

Brax sighed as he sat down next to his other brothers at the kitchen table.

"Still not talking?" Kyle asked.

"Nup, not a word." Brax replied.

Heath slammed his fist on the table. "I can't do this, just stand by, and let Casey think whatever he wants." Heath stated in a frustrated tone.

"Heath we've been through this and I don't like it either but in the vulnerable state Casey is in we can't push him." Brax replied.

Casey emerged from the bedroom shortly after and saw the three brothers staring at him.

"What? I'm not going to do anything stupid!" He snapped.

"Good." Brax replied as he watched his brother carefully. "Casey come and sit down and talk to us about all this." Brax encouraged.

"No Brax, talking isn't going to change anything is it?" Casey huffed and went back into the bedroom packing his stuff.

Brax sighed and walked into the bathroom to take a shower.

"Well I'm off to work, let me know how Case gets on." Kyle told Heath before walking out the door.

Heath was busy playing with his phone when he noticed Casey walking towards the door holding several large bags.

"Oi where you going?" Heath demanded.

Casey rolled his eyes and didn't bother to turn and face Heath. "What's it to you?" Casey replied blankly.

"Why all the baggage squirt?" Heath demanded.

Casey shuddered at the name Heath called him, it was all wrong, he wasn't that person. Casey turned to stare at Heath

"If you must know I'm leaving. I don't belong here." Casey held his bags and walked closer to the door.

Heath raced out of his chair and grabbed Casey. "Stop being so stupid Casey, this is your home!" Heath yelled.

"No it's not Heath! Now get off me!" Casey yelled back.

"Cut the crap and stop being so selfish!" Heath shouted.

Casey threw his bags down. "I'm selfish? You're the one that won't let me leave!" Casey yelled annoyed.

Heath pulled Casey back inside the house with a struggle. "I know Brax said not to but you need your head knocked in Case!"

Casey struggled to push Heath off him.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Brax ran at his brothers. "What's going on?" Brax questioned.

Brax saw the bags at the front door. "What are those?" Brax demanded and glared directly at Casey.

"Like I told Heath I'm leaving. I don't belong here anymore." Brax shook his head in annoyance.

"Geez Casey, stop this will ya!" Brax yelled.

"No Brax, I'm done with all this!" Casey yelled.

"Casey! Sit down!" Brax yelled louder and pulled his brother to the couch, shoving him down.

"This is stupid Casey!" Brax shouted, letting his worry get the better of him.

"So everyone keeps telling me I'm stupid! Thanks for telling me how you really feel about me!" Casey snapped.

"You know that's not what I meant! Now you are not going anywhere! So get your things and unpack 'em back in your room!" Brax told him firmly.

Casey huffed, he wasn't sure what is was in Brax's voice that made him listen, was it that he felt a little piece of him that still respected the stranger in front of him? Casey grabbed his bags and stormed back into the bedroom.

**CASEY POV**

I threw my bags back down in my supposed room. This was something I had to do yet Brax and Heath were both telling me I was stupid and selfish. Above everything else that was running through my head to have them say that to me just added to the hurt I was feeling. Why could they not just understand? Let me deal with everything in my own way. Being around them made me hate myself even more, knowing they had wasted their lives on me.

I breathed heavily trying to compose myself and focus back on reality and not in my clouded mind. I opened up my bag of clothes and angrily started pulling them back out of my bag.

**NORMAL POV**

Heath's phone buzzed. "Ah mate, it's Bianca, she needs me to pick her up from the school." Heath explained.

Brax nodded. "Go mate."

"Are you sure? I mean don't you want some backup with Case?" Heath asked.

"Nah mate I got this, thanks." Brax reassured and Heath nodded.

"Just let me know if you need a hand with him later, you know, knocking him into line." Heath punched his hand.

"Thanks mate but it'll be fine. I'll just try and talk to him." Brax replied.

Brax walked down to Casey's room and saw him tossing his things back into his draws.

"Casey please listen. I understand this is hard and you don't want to talk..." Brax started, but was quickly cut off by an irritated Casey.

"Really Brax? Is it that obvious?" Casey snapped throwing his clothes.

"Casey, Heath, Kyle and I just want to make sure that you're gonna be okay."

Casey stared at Brax. _He's just not going to let up_, Casey thought.

"I'll be fine. I just need some space. Now get out!" Casey snapped not looking at Brax.

Brax watched Casey for a moment before walking out of the room, he was startled when he heard Casey slam his door shut and let out a loud yell, he contemplated going back in but realised his brother obviously needed space and so he would check on him later.

Casey slammed his hand across his dresser draw, knocking all his belongings off and breathed heavily, the emotion going on inside him was too intense, he couldn't deal with this.

Casey turned to see a pair of scissors on the floor beside his bed. Walking over to the bed, Casey picked up the scissors and stared at the blade in his hand. His mind went blank, sucking him into a trance as he looked at the blade. Somehow it had some calming effect to it. Something about that blade was going to make everything in his life better.


	10. Release

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Some graphics of self harm mentioned in this chapter. Story is becoming intense now. **

**Casey is pushed to his limit, but how bad will it be?**

**Enjoy :)**

**Chapter 10 – Release**

**CASEY'S POV**

I saw my scissors lying on the floor, I don't know what came over me, but it felt like my mind knew what I had to do. I picked them up and stared at the blade resting in my hand. I felt some calming relief as I wrapped my hand around the blade tightly. Thoughts about who I was rushed through my mind only to be wiped away as I became more fixated on the blade of the scissors.

Before I realised what I was doing I opened the scissors up and scraped the blade across the inside of my left arm. I felt a wave of pain nick at my skin as I saw a red line across my arm. I ran my finger across the scrape and for an instant second forgot everything that was going on around me. It was like an amazing cure.

I closed the scissors and put them down, still in shock at what I had done. I suddenly felt so different and couldn't describe what was going on in my mind. I lay down on my bed analysing what had just happened.

A few hours passed when I heard a knock on my door, "Hey Case, you okay in there? Can I come in?"

I got up off my bed and opened the door to Brax. "You okay?" He asked.

I thought back to my incident and could still feel the slight pain in my arm and gave him a smile. "Yeah Brax I'm fine."

Brax stared at me. I think he was trying to gauge whether I was telling the truth, but I honestly did feel fine. Like a whole weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

"Well okay if you're sure. There's some dinner out here if you want some. Kyle brought home some pizza from the restaurant."

"Nah I'm okay, I think I'm just gonna go to bed. I'm kind of tired after being in hospital." I replied in a calm tone.

Brax nodded. "Okay. I'm here if you need anything." He told me in a soft tone.

I think he must have been feeling some regret from the argument earlier, that's why he was being so nice now. I nodded and closed the door before laying back down on the bed. I glanced over to my draw where I had put my scissors and smiled. I was going to be okay.

The next morning I woke up and wandered into the kitchen to see Kyle and Brax eating breakfast.

"Hey mate, how you feeling?" Brax asked.

I just nodded and stared at them, my calming relief had gone and it was back to my overwhelmed thinking, so seeing them near me again made me still feel out of place being there.

"You want some breakfast Case? There are still some eggs in the pan." Kyle spoke.

"Yeah maybe later. I'm gonna go for a shower first."

I walked down to the bathroom, but before I walked into the shower I opened the bathroom cabinet. I couldn't shake this feeling that I had to do something. It was itching inside me. I felt angry and numb and it wasn't going away.

I pulled out one of Heath's old shaver razor blades and reminded myself of the sensation I felt the night before. I couldn't stop myself and in a surge of anger I pressed the blade against my left arm at the same pressure I had used for the scissors.

I gasped in pain as the blade cut the skin sharper than the scissors had. I noticed blood seeping down my arm. I was mesmerized and felt the same feeling of relief. I wiped the blade and placed it down with my clothes then went for my shower. I had battled against my wills again and won.

**NORMAL POV**

Casey walked into the kitchen and grabbed himself a plate of leftover scrambled eggs and sat at the kitchen table, opposite Kyle. He leaned across the table to grab the butter for his toast. Kyle stared at Casey's arm when he noticed a small speck of blood on his shirt.

"Ah Case, you're bleeding." Kyle stated.

"What?" Casey yelled defensively.

"Your arm." Kyle pointed.

Casey looked down and saw the blood from his wound from this morning had bled through his shirt.

By now Brax was also giving Casey a concerned glance.

"Ah yeah, I knocked it on...the bathroom cabinet, before I got in the shower clumsy huh?" Casey gave a laugh.

"You okay Case?" Brax asked, raising an eyebrow.

Casey gave Brax a nervous glance. "Yeah sure. It was just an accident."

Casey turned away and got stuck into eating his breakfast, hiding his arm away from sight as much as possible. As soon as Casey finished his breakfast he rushed back to his bedroom, Kyle and Brax swapping a glance.

"You think he's alright?" Kyle asked. Brax shrugged.

"Don't know, he seems better then he was but I couldn't decipher whether he was lying."

* * *

><p>A few weeks passed and even though Casey was putting on a happy face Brax somehow still wasn't convinced, it just didn't make sense that Casey would turn from being angry and shutting everyone out to being suddenly happy. He still wasn't taking about the incident and that worried Brax more that Casey was going through some state of denial.<p>

Casey was dressed in his full wet suit and grabbed his surfboard ready to walk out the door when Brax approached from the kitchen.

"Morning mate. You going for a surf?"

"Yeah it's great out there today, thought it'd help clear my head." Casey said.

Brax nodded. "Wait a sec and I'll come with you, we haven't been surfing together in ages."

Brax placed his coffee cup down and went to walk into his room to get changed. He wanted to take advantage of Casey's relaxed mood and hopefully get him to open up to him.

"No Brax. I'd like to just go by myself." Casey added.

Brax gave him a queried look and Casey returned with a fake laugh.

"It's not like that. Brax I know you're worried about me but I'm fine, honest. I understand everything now and I'm over it." Casey lied with a smile. "Look I'm gonna go, but I want to do this on my own. I'm okay Brax." Casey pushed.

Brax sighed. He didn't want Casey out of his sight but he remembered what Kyle had told him, pushing Casey and not giving him space wouldn't help him recover either.

"If you say so Case. Well enjoy your surf." Casey nodded and walked out the door.

Brax couldn't help wonder why Casey was wearing his full wet suit, it wasn't cold outside, and even then Casey barely ever wore his full wet suit. Brax shrugged it off and went back to drinking his coffee.

Casey stormed down to the beach. He felt angry and his head was spinning with all the thoughts in his head, but if it got Brax, Heath, and Kyle off his back forcing him to talk about how he felt then his fake act was working, he was dealing as best he could, now that he had a new release from his emotions, a means to forget everything going on in his mind and a way for him to function again with living with three strangers and feeling a new world around him.

Casey went into the surf and let the water rush over him. Running back onto the beach he sat down and watched the waves.

"Casey." Casey turned to see Josh walking up behind him. "Casey can we talk? I just want to get the chance to get to know you."

Casey ignored him. "Come on Casey please?"

As Casey stared at Josh he was again flooded with the numbness and anger in his mind, constantly fighting inside as he tried to compress it all. He was taken out of thought when he heard Andy yell.

"Josh!"

Andy ran up to Josh and pulled him away. "What are you doing talking to Casey. I thought I told you to stay away from him." Andy yelled.

"I have a right to get to know him Andy!" Josh snapped.

"No you don't, he's not our family. Get that through you're thick head and you too Casey. Keep away from my bother."

Casey could feel the anger building up inside him. He had to get out before he felt like his world would consume him. He was so angry and confused at his life he wanted to destroy everything inside him to make it go away. He wanted to drown his insides with alcohol until he couldn't feel anymore. Casey quickly stood up and raced towards Angelo's bar, ignoring Josh and Andy.


	11. Dice with Death

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**The following handful of chapters will surround Heath, Brax and Kyle's feelings and from this chapter you'll see why and post incidents on the show may mean these chapters may be a bit touchy. (But I promise it won't be the end).**

**In response to my first Guest's review to ch10, if you read this, thank you for your kind words, it means a lot to me and to answer your question, I am able to write the emotions that Casey feels because they were a tweaked version of my own emotions and experiences. **

**So I hope this story can do justice for those out there that do deal with these situations. **

**Enjoy and feedback is much appreciated :) **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11 – Dice with death<strong>

**NORMAL POV **

Casey saw Kyle behind the bar and stopped. He needed that alcohol. Kyle noticed Casey looking unsettled.

"Hey Case. Are you okay?"

Casey nodded quickly, too overcome in his own thoughts to be listening. Kyle left the counter and was about to approach his brother when someone called him over for an order. Kyle watched Casey intently until he reached the customers table.

When Casey saw Kyle was out of sight, he sneaked behind the bar and grabbed two bottles of alcohol from behind the counter and raced to the door. Kyle caught a glimpse of Casey rushing out the door with the alcohol.

"Casey! Casey!" Kyle called and dropped the order book onto a table and quickly ran out after Casey.

Kyle followed Casey down to the beach and saw his younger brother drink down one bottle of alcohol, choking over the strength and tossing the bottle aside, ready to open the next bottle. Casey was already half way down the beach when Kyle reached the stairs.

"Casey stop! You don't have to do this! What's going on?" Kyle yelled.

Casey sculled down the next bottle of alcohol. "Mind your own business Kyle! I need to do this!"

"Why Casey?" Kyle yelled.

Casey ignored Kyle and tossed the second bottle on the sand and had run far enough down the beach that no matter how fast Kyle ran he would not reach him in enough time. Casey grabbed his surfboard and ran out into the ocean.

"Casey!" Kyle yelled out as he watched Casey go into the water.

Kyle ripped his phone out of his pocket. "Brax! You have to get down to the beach now!" Kyle shouted.

"Kyle what's wrong?" Brax asked.

"I just caught Casey running out of Angelo's with two bottles of alcohol and I'm down on the beach now and he's drank the entire two bottles and gone out into the surf." Kyle explained with panic in his voice.

Kyle scanned the water and could still see Casey. "Casey!" He yelled, but Casey was too far out to hear.

"Kyle keep an eye on him and I'll get there as soon as I can!" Brax yelled.

Brax was about to hang up when he heard Kyle gasp and yell.

"Kyle! Kyle!" Brax yelled into the phone to get his brother's attention. Brax heard Kyle yelling in the background.

"Somebody help my brother, he's fallen off his board, and he's been drinking!" Kyle shouted.

John Palmer heard the commotion and had seen Casey wipeout and immediately ran into the water to save him.

"Kyle! I'll be right there!" Brax shouted into the phone.

"Brax hurry up!" Kyle yelled.

Brax shut off his phone and grabbed his car keys rushing down towards the beach.

* * *

><p><strong>KYLE'S POV <strong>

As I waited for Brax to arrive I watched helplessly as John Palmer rushed into the ocean to help Casey. If only I had been fast enough to stop him going into the water, let alone drinking two full bottles of alcohol in a few hits. I couldn't help but feel I was to blame for this.

I now knew what Heath and Brax had felt when Casey went into hospital the first time. I was beginning to feel really scared this time that I was going to lose my brother. I knew the dangers of drinking and going into the water and Casey had drunk far more than any other person ever had and gone into the water.

Casey wasn't surfacing and John searched through the water. I hoped Brax would get here soon because I honestly did not know what to do. I saw John finally come to the surface with his arm around Casey.

I breathed a sigh of relief but it quickly faded when John push Casey on the sand and yelled out for someone to call an ambulance. It was then I realised Casey wasn't breathing. John started CPR but it was to no avail. Casey was not responding. I knew if Casey didn't get help soon he was going to die.

**NORMAL POV**

Heath was walking back to his house with Bianca when Brax raced past him. "Hey big fella what's up?" Heath asked, stopping his brother.

"Casey's been drinking and went out into the surf. He's been knocked out." Brax replied through heavy breaths.

"Come on let's go then." Heath said and quickly ran after his brother to Brax's car.

When they arrived at the beach they ran up to Kyle and saw Casey being loaded into an ambulance.

"Mate what happened?" Brax questioned.

Kyle however was in too much worry to answer properly. John Palmer ran up to them soaking wet.

"I tried mate, but I just couldn't..." John gasped.

"What?" Brax demanded.

"John ran into the water to save Casey. Brax, the ambulance officers said his heart had stopped and so had his breathing, they had to restart his heart...John tried to revive him before they came but..." Kyle tried to explain but Brax couldn't stand to hear anymore and Heath had run his hand through his hair frustrated and scared out of his mind.

Brax shook his head. "Come on we have to get to the hospital." Brax finally said.

* * *

><p>Heath, Brax, and Kyle waited anxiously at the hospital awaiting the prognosis on their brother. It felt like hours before they had heard any news and none of them wanted to be in the familiar surrounding again. Becoming annoyed at not hearing any news Heath snapped.<p>

"What the hell was the kid doing out there?" Heath yelled.

"I should never have let him go out. I knew something wasn't right with him. He has been acting too weird the past few weeks. I should have been keeping a better eye on him." Brax stated in a frustrated tone, he blamed himself for not picking up on his brother's hidden behavior, it was his responsibility.

"Did he not say anything to you when he came into Angelo's?" Heath asked Kyle in an angered tone.

"No, I was just lucky I saw him run out with the alcohol, I just wish I'd stopped him in time."

"No-one is to blame from something like this."

The three heard a voice behind them and turned. The doctor stood behind them.

"I assume you are the family of Casey Braxton?" Brax approached the doctor.

"Yeah we're his brothers. How is he?" Brax asked.

"My name is Doctor Nate Cooper and I have been the one seeing to your brother's case."

"So how is he?" Heath snapped.

Nate gave a sigh. "Your brother has sustained a nasty blow to the head when he fell into the water, he had also sucked in quite a lot of water, and with the effects of the alcohol in his system...Casey is very lucky to still be alive. I'm sure you know the ambulance had to restart his heart."

Brax nodded, trying to process what he was hearing. "But he is alright now, right?" Brax questioned.

Nate sighed. "Your brother has slipped into a state of coma and it is unsure as to when he will wake up." Nate explained.

"Don't you let him die doc! Ya hear me!" Heath shouted.

"Please calm down. We are doing everything we can." Nate tried to reassure the brothers.

"Can we see him?" Brax asked still in shock.

Nate nodded, "but I must warn you, we had to cut his wet suit off to put him in a gown and I can say I am very concerned about Casey's self harm." Nate said.

"What?" Heath questioned.

"You mean his drinking?" Brax asked.

"No. I mean his self inflicted wounds over his arms." Nate explained.

"What?" Brax queried. Nate encouraged the brothers into Casey's room and walked over to the bed.

The three saw Casey strapped to machines and an ET tube down his throat, helping him to breathe.

Brax stood beside Nate as he pulled the cover off Casey to reveal his injured arms. Brax gasped, as did Kyle. Heath ran his hand through his hair in shock and turned away before storming out of the hospital room, Kyle following close behind.

* * *

><p><strong>HEATH'S POV<strong>

I knew I should have knocked that kids head in last time he drunk himself stupid, then he wouldn't have done this again! Seeing those cuts on his arms shocked me, I've never seen anything like it and to be so stupid to do that in the first place! I hated to admit it but I was real scared. My little brother was falling apart and I had no idea on what to do anymore.

I couldn't stand looking at the marks on his arms and him lying on the hospital bed in a coma! I can't believe the doc said he doesn't even know when Case is going to wake up! How can he say that? Isn't he supposed to know all the answers? I don't know how Brax, Kyle, or myself, would manage without the little kid. He brought so much fun into our lives. I wasn't going to let Case die on us! Not while I was around!

**BRAX'S POV**

I couldn't help but stare at the numerous cuts over Casey's arms, the left was far worse than the right. I felt so angry with myself for not noticing Casey was hurting so badly to resort to cutting himself. I was snapped out of thought when Nate approached me.

"I take it you had no idea he was doing this?" He asked.

I could only shake my head, not moving my eyes off Casey's arms.

"The wounds look to be 2-3 weeks old tops. Do you have any idea as to why Casey would be doing this?" Nate asked.

I just couldn't answer Nate right now, it would just make everything more real, and I just wanted everything back to the way they were.

"Brax please, if you know you have to tell me so we can do what's best for your brother."

"I...I can't...Can I just sit with him?" I asked.

Nate nodded. "Sure. Take all the time you need. I'll be just outside if you need me. A nurse will be in to check on him again soon."

I knelt down next to Casey's bed and gently took a hold of his hand. "Why did you do this Case? You had everyone believing you were okay. Damn it Casey, why didn't you talk to me?" I shouted as I squeezed Casey's hand before collapsing against the bed.


	12. Heath's memory

**Chapter 12 – Heath's memory**

**NORMAL POV**

"Heath! Heath! Are you okay?" Kyle shouted as he followed Heath back home.

Heath stormed through his front door and slammed it shut, only for Kyle to burst it open again.

"Heath what's going on?' Bianca asked.

"Heath will you stop for a minute!" Kyle shouted.

Heath turned to stare at Kyle. "What do you want me to say? No I'm not okay Kyle. My baby brother is lying on a hospital bed in a coma until who knows when and he's been cutting himself up like a bloody Christmas ham! That kid is so bloody stupid and selfish!" Heath ranted.

"How can you say that Heath? You don't know what Casey was feeling just because he can't cope with everything going on and he does this, it does not make him selfish!" Kyle yelled.

"Whose side are you on? The kid still should have talked to us, not gotten himself drunk and gone surfing, let alone cutting up his own flesh!" Heath yelled.

"Heath calm down." Bianca spoke.

"Heath I understand you're angry but we have to keep it together for Casey's sake." Kyle lectured.

"Geez Kyle just shut up will ya? Casey isn't even related to you!" Heath snapped.

"I can't believe you just said that! Casey is still as much my brother as he is yours even if we aren't related!" Kyle shouted back and turned to storm out.

Heath huffed and Bianca gave him an unimpressed look.

"Kyle! Geez come on ya girl, don't be so sensitive. I shouldn't have said that."

Kyle just ignored Heath and walked into the shared house. Bianca rested her head on Heath's back.

"Bianca don't." Heath shrugged Bianca off.

"Heath please, I know you're upset about Casey, but Kyle's right you have to keep it together for Casey." Heath kissed Bianca.

"I just...He's my baby brother...How could something like this happen to him, he doesn't deserve it." Heath replied sadly.

"I know hon." Heath sat down on the couch with Bianca by his side and he fell back into thought of when Casey was a toddler.

* * *

><p><em>Flashback: <em>

Brax had just picked up Heath from school and had his 3 year old brother in his arms.

"Can we go to the park Brax?" Heath asked.

"Par! Par!" Casey squealed. Brax smiled. "Sure mate."

Heath ran to the monkey bars and hung upside down. "Hey Casey watch!" Heath laughed.

Casey covered his eyes. "Hee stop! Bax make Hee stop!" Casey squealed.

"Be careful there mate! I ain't fixing ya if ya bust ya head!" Brax yelled out.

"Relax..." Heath righted himself. "You want a turn Case?" Heath asked and ran to grab Casey from his brother's arms.

"No!" Casey clung onto Brax. Heath laughed and rubbed his baby brother's back.

"I wouldn't do that to ya Case. You want a turn on the swing?" Casey stared at Heath.

"Swin" Casey nodded.

"Can I take him Brax?" Heath asked.

"Alright, but you be careful and don't let him out of your sight." Brax told his younger brother as Heath took Casey in his arms.

Just as Heath propped Casey onto the swing two boys who were clearly a few years older than Heath and stood taller than him approached.

"Scram loser, this is our territory." Heath stared at the boys as they surrounded him. "Are you deaf kid? I said scram."

One of the boys shoved Heath backwards. "Hee!" Casey screamed and wobbled on the swing.

The two boys started shoving at Heath. "Leave us alone! We were here first!" Heath yelled and shoved them back.

"That so kid?" One of the boys shoved Heath hard causing him to fall backwards and knock the swing Casey was on.

Casey fell off onto the ground with a thud. Heath stood up and shoved the boy who pushed him but stopped when he heard the deafening cries of his baby brother and turned to see Casey crying on the ground and his leg and hands bleeding.

"Casey!" Heath ran over to his baby brother and gathered him in his arms.

"Ha ha the stupid baby fell off the swing." One of the boys laughed.

"Hey! Leave my brother alone, you jerk!" Heath snapped. "Shh, it's alright Case. Ya big brother's here." Heath soothed.

"Hurse Hee. Want Bax." Casey cried.

"I know it hurts Case. Come on we'll go back to Brax now." Heath's eyes started to water at the thought of Casey getting hurt and his bruised lip as he raced Casey back to his brother.

Brax stood up and ran to gather Casey in his arms.

"Heath what happened? I told you to keep an eye on him." Brax pulled Heath's chin up and saw the bruised lip.

"Did you get into a fight around Casey?" Brax demanded as he examined Casey's grazed legs and hands.

"Brax I'm sorry." Heath started to cry. "There were these older kids and they were picking on Case and me and Case got knocked off the swing and..." Heath sobbed harder. "I'm sorry, I hurt him." Heath cried.

"No Heath, it's alright, it was an accident." Brax pulled Heath in close to hug him. Heath and Casey continued to sob as they cuddled into their oldest brother.

_End flashback._

* * *

><p>Heath remembered how hurt Casey had been, how sensitive he had always been. He couldn't fathom how Casey could now turn to cutting up his own body. Heath took a sip of his beer that Bianca had handed to him.<p>

"Talk to me Heath. What's on your mind?" She asked. Heath looked at Bianca.

"Why would Case even cut himself like that? I mean I don't understand it, he's such a sensitive kid..."

"Heath I've seen kids at the school go through that and it doesn't matter how sensitive they are, it's just a way for them to cope with their emotions." Bianca explained.

"But the kid should know his family is always there for him." Heath replied.

"Maybe he doesn't. Heath you have to understand Casey has just found out his family isn't who he thought they were. That's a pretty tough thing to consider and like you said Casey is sensitive, this is a big thing for him." Bianca tried to explain.

"But this doesn't change the way Brax, Kyle or I think of him! Why can't he just see that?"

Bianca sighed and rested her head on Heath's chest, rubbing his chest gently. Heath gave her a hug.

"It was awful Bee. Not just seeing Case in the hospital bed with tubes and wires all over him, but the cuts on his arms, they were so raw and some looked pretty deep..."

"The main thing is that Casey has Kyle, Brax and your support for when he does wake up." Bianca said softly. Heath gave a weak smile and kissed Bianca on the head.


	13. Hope for Recovery

**Chapter 13 – Hope for recovery **

**NORMAL POV**

Nate walked back into Casey's room to check his vitals and saw Brax still sitting next to Casey's hospital bed with his hands grasped tightly around Casey's hand.

"Brax what are you still doing here? It's 3am in the morning." Nate questioned.

"I want to be here when he wakes up." Brax replied like there was no questions asked.

Nate gave a sigh. "Brax, we don't know when Casey will wake up. It could be days, weeks, even months." Nate explained.

"I don't care. I'm not leaving him." Brax replied blankly.

"Brax..."

"I said I'm not leaving him!" Brax shouted.

"Alright, well let me just check his vitals then I will leave. If you're staying here did you want a blanket or something more comfortable?"

"Nup." Brax replied, not taking his eyes off his brother.

"Can I get someone to bring you a coffee or something to eat?" Nate tried again to make Brax comfortable.

Brax sighed. "Just do what you have to do and leave Casey and me alone."

Brax stared down at the self injury wounds on Casey's arms and wondered why his brother would do something like that.

Nate went on to gather his information but was stopped just before he went to leave the room.

"Can I ask you something?" Brax turned to look at Nate.

"Sure Brax. What is it?" Brax sighed and ran his fingers over the cuts on Casey's arm.

"These cuts...What's the matter with him? I mean why would he do that?" Brax asked.

"Brax self harm is a coping mechanism for some people, a way to forget painful feelings or memories, or a way to make them have a sense of feeling, to make up for the feelings of numbness inside. It may also be a way to punish themselves over something they usually can't control." Nate explained.

Brax thought, _why would Casey want to punish himself or feel numb? _ He didn't understand it.

"What would drive him to physically do it though?" Brax asked.

"People that self harm are unable to cope or handle extreme emotional situations and that leads them to rely on this release. When a person cuts it releases Endorphins which causes a chemical reaction in the body to make them feel positive, resulting in the reason for their self harm being deterred away from their thoughts."

Brax gave Nate a confused look, still not being able to get his head around this.

"Look Brax, do you like surfing?"

"Yeah, what's this got to do with anything?" Brax questioned, wondering what Nate was getting at.

"After you surf you feel good right?" Nate stated.

"Yeah I guess."

"Well that kind of activity releases Endorphins too and when you go surfing on a bad day you come out of the water relieved?"

"Yeah, but Casey surfs shouldn't that do the same for him?" Brax asked confused.

"Yes, but whatever has lead Casey to harm himself is too extreme for him to handle and no matter how much he may surf or try and release his emotions he can't. Cutting is his only option that he feels he has." Nate explained.

Brax sighed. "Casey recently found out that Johnny Barrett, Andy and Josh's father was his father too. He's Heath's and my half brother." Brax explained.

Nate stopped and walked back towards Brax. "That explains the self harm then. That's pretty intense for someone of Casey's age to take in. Thank you for telling me, now I know what we are dealing with. I'll be back in later to check on Casey again." Nate opened the door to leave.

"Nate? When Casey was in the hospital with alcohol poisoning." Brax started.

"Yes, I saw that on his file."

"He implied that he wanted to not live anymore." Brax said sadly

"Right, it's not uncommon for someone in Casey's condition to have suicidal thoughts. I'll make a note on his file and we can arrange for him to talk to a counselor when he comes out of his coma." Nate confirmed.

"No offense mate but I know Casey he won't talk to a counselor. I don't even know if he will talk to me." Brax said.

Nate saw Brax glance at Casey with worry. "Hang in there Brax. The important thing is not to push Casey to talk. We don't want him getting worse and pulling away from us. The best we can do is encourage him and support him." Nate advised and gave a nod before leaving the room.

* * *

><p><em>Flashback-<em>

"Don't you want to do anything with your life?" Brax yelled at Heath. He had just been expelled yet again from another school.

"I can do deals." Heath defended.

"I don't care if you can! I'm not having you end up in jail because you spend your life doing something stupid!" Brax yelled, causing Heath to huff.

Brax felt a small tug on his shirt. "Brax, I know what I want to be when I grows up."

Brax looked down at his 6 year old baby brother staring up at him. "Not now Case." Brax told Casey gently.

Heath went to storm off. "Hey, I'm not finished with you!" Brax shouted.

"Yeah ya are!" Heath stormed off and slammed his bedroom door.

Casey tugged on Brax's sleeve again. "I want to be just like you when I grow up." Casey smiled.

"No way Case, I'm not having you turning out like me." Brax said quickly, not realising what Casey was getting at.

"But whys? I want to be like you because you're so brave and the bestest big brother ever and I love you." Casey said innocently.

Brax's anger towards Heath subsided as he smiled down at his innocent baby brother and engulfed him in a hug.

"Aw Case I love you so much too, you're a good kid and you can grow up to be even better than me yeah?" Casey smiled and nodded as he leaned in closer to his brother, hugging him tighter.

_End flashback_

* * *

><p>Brax continued to squeeze Casey's hand. "Come on Case, please wake up for us mate. If you don't wake up from this Case, I'll never forgive myself for not looking out for you, you hear me?"<p>

Brax sighed and rested his head on the bed. Casey had always looked up to him and admired him so much, but when Casey needed him the most he had let him down.

Tears threatened to slip from Brax's eyes as he gently ran his fingers over the cuts on Casey's left arm again. "Please Casey, you mean the world to me."


	14. Arguements

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Thank you all for your continual support, I really appreciate it. Enjoy. **

**Chapter 14 – Arguments**

**NORMAL POV**

The following day Kyle and Heath came to visit at the hospital and saw Brax hunched over on a chair next to Casey's bed.

"You been here all night mate?" Heath asked. Brax just looked at his brothers.

"How is he?" Kyle asked only to receive a shrug from Brax.

"Well that's great just keep it to ya self why don't ya!" Heath yelled.

"Heath." Kyle warned. "What? He..." Heath started.

"Just leave it..." Kyle argued back. Brax groaned.

"Look, what do you want me to say? I sat here all night hoping Casey would wake up but he hasn't even moved! Nate says he's okay for now but may never wake up! Is that what you want me to tell you! Well is it Heath?" Brax shouted.

Kyle stared at his older brother and sensed how much he was hurting.

"Don't you go shouting at me I didn't put the kid in the hospital bed! You're not the only one worried about him Brax! So stop being so self- centered and let us be there for Case too!" Heath yelled and turned, storming out of the hospital room.

"Call me if anything changes!" Heath snapped.

Kyle gave Brax a sympathetic smile when he turned to watch his brother leave, he knew this was hurting all of them and he shouldn't be taking his anger out on any of them.

"The doctor was right Brax, when he said we shouldn't blame ourselves for this. Casey wanted us to believe he was going okay. He fooled us all."

Brax looked at Kyle. "I never said I was blaming myself." Brax replied in a short tone.

"I know...It's just..." Kyle sighed, figuring it wasn't any use arguing with Brax about how he was feeling. "Look I have to go work my shift at the restaurant. Just let me know..."

"Yep." Brax replied harshly.

"Brax...Just look after yourself too okay..." Kyle added quietly.

Brax was about to yell back when Kyle interrupted. "You look tired. We can't be worried about you too." Brax nodded in acknowledgement of what his brother was saying.

"I'll be back later and don't worry about Heath, I'll talk to him." Kyle said.

"Thanks." Brax replied quietly and turned back to Casey as Kyle walked out of the room.

* * *

><p>Kyle had taken a break from his shift and walked down to the surf club where Heath was doing a shift. Seeing Kyle out of the corner of his eye, Heath stormed away trying to avoid his brother.<p>

"Heath!" Kyle yelled.

"What do you want?" Heath snapped.

"I just want to talk to you about what happened at the hospital this morning."

"What's to say Kyle? The big fella is just thinking about how he feels, not giving a stuff that it's my baby brother lying in that bed too!" Heath spoke in an agitated tone.

"Heath I don't think it's like that!" Kyle yelled.

"You don't think? Well that's great Kyle glad we had this little chat!" Heath shook his head and replied in annoyance.

"Heath will you stop! I know you're hurting and so is Brax. So am I! But we can't keep arguing we have to be there for each other through this." Kyle yelled.

Heath sighed. "Heath just go back to the hospital and talk to Brax." Kyle said quietly.

"You're right. You're not as dumb as you look mate." Heath replied, giving a small smile.

Kyle nodded and walked back to Angelo's, leaving Heath to decide on his decision.

* * *

><p>Heath walked back into Casey's room and stared at his brother lying motionless, with cuts down his arms and machines attached to his body.<p>

Brax glanced up and saw Heath in the doorway. "Hey." Heath greeted.

"Hey" Brax replied sadly.

"Look Brax I'm sorry about before. I shouldn't have said that." Heath apologised.

"It's fine mate." Brax replied.

Heath slumped down in a chair near the door. "You mind if I stay here with you for awhile, just to be here with Case?"

Brax nodded. "I'd like that mate and so would Case."

Heath sat hoping Casey would pull through soon. Before long Heath's mind faded into a memory of the day Casey was born.

* * *

><p><em>Flashback-<em>

Cheryl rested in the hospital bed as Brax took the tiny baby from her arms with a big smile on his face.

"Hey there little guy. Welcome to the world." Brax said softly.

Heath stood next to his older brother. "Why is he so small and squishy?" Heath asked.

"That's because he's just a newborn baby. You were like that too." Brax replied.

"Really? Why won't he open his eyes?" Heath asked.

"Because he needs lots of rest and doesn't have much ability to open his eyes yet." Brax explained.

Heath peered over Brax's arms. "What's his name?" Heath asked.

"Yeah Mum?" Brax followed.

"Casey...Casey ...Braxton." Cheryl choked out the last word, knowing Casey was not Danny's son.

"Casey Braxton, hey little guy?" Brax stared at him with awe. "I'm your big brother Brax and see over there, that's your other big brother Heath. We're gonna keep you safe and look out for you no matter what."

Brax turned to Heath. "You wanna hold him?" Brax asked.

Heath pulled away. "I don't want to hurt him." Heath replied with uncertainty.

Brax smiled. "You won't. Here hold out your arms like this."

Brax showed Heath to put his arms in a cradle. "Good, now just support his head and body." Brax explained before he gently placed Casey in Heath's arms.

"Don't worry I'm right here mate. I won't let you drop him." Brax smiled.

Heath smiled at the tiny baby in his arms "We're gonna have so much fun Casey. I can't wait to teach you all the ropes." Heath told his baby brother.

Brax laughed. "It might be a while before that."

Casey gurled. "What's wrong with him?" Heath panicked.

"Nothing mate, babies just do that."

"He's really our little brother?" Heath asked with such innocence.

"Yep forever and always." Brax placed his hand on Heath's shoulder.

"Look Brax he smiled." Heath beamed.

"Yeah mate I see. I guess that means he likes ya huh?"

Brax smiled down at his younger brothers. He had never felt so overwhelmed, he'd only just met the little baby, and he already loved him. Brax took Casey from Heath and handed him back to their mother.

_End flashback._

* * *

><p>Brax turned to look at Heath staring into his own world.<p>

"You alright mate?" Brax asked.

"Huh? Yeah...I was just thinking about the day Casey was born." Heath replied.

"Yeah?" Brax questioned.

"I remember you holding him then you handed him to me. It was the first time I ever saw him smile."

Brax nodded remembering that day.

"He was so small and fragile and it seems nothing has changed. He's still so fragile, except he's now this grown up kid...Why weren't we able to protect him Brax?" Heath asked.

Brax sighed. "I don't know Heath. I just wish that none of this had ever happened." Brax squeezed Casey's hand.

Casey's machines beeped and Heath stood up. "What's going on?" Heath panicked.

"Heath go and get Nate!" Brax yelled.

Heath just stared in panic. "Heath!" Brax shouted and Heath stormed out the door running his hand through his hair.

Brax raced out after him and saw Nate. "Nate! Hurry up, it's Casey!" Brax yelled.

Nate quickly ran into Casey's room and checked his vitals. The machines had gone off because his Oxygen and Heart rate had dropped. Nate quickly got to work.

"Brax I need you to wait outside while I stabilize your brother."

"No I'm not leaving him!" Brax yelled.

"Brax please." Nate pushed.

Brax walked out of the room and saw Heath slam his hand on a chair before storming down the hall.

"Where are you going?" Brax yelled.

"Away from here!" Heath replied and stormed out.

Heath couldn't stand being in the hospital watching his baby brother on the bed when the machines were beeping, telling them something wasn't right.

Nate had managed to stabilse Casey and as soon as he exited the room, Brax raced in and grabbed hold of Casey's hand. Nate sighed.

"How is he?" Brax panicked.

"He's stable again, but we will be watching him closely, in case of any complications." Nate explained.

"Complications? What complications?" Brax demanded.

"With Casey's drop in Oxygen level right now and with him already in a compromised state, it heightens the risk of him developing brain damage."

Brax stared wide eyed at Nate. "Please, you can't let that happen." Brax pleaded.

"You have to make sure my brother is okay! You have to make him okay!" Brax shouted.

"Brax I understand this is hard for you but I promise we are doing everything we can. Your brother is in safe hands, but it's up to him now to recover. You let me know if you need anything." Nate gave a nod and left the room.

Brax stood over Casey and gripped his upper arms. "Damn you Casey! Wake up! I won't lose you!" He shouted.

Staring at Casey's motionless body, Brax collapsed against his brother and began to sob as he held his brother tightly. "I love you Casey. You're my baby brother. Don't you dare die on me!"


	15. Support

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Short chapter, but enjoy. Feedback is very much appreciated thank you. **

**Chapter 15 – Support**

**NORMAL POV**

Heath couldn't take it anymore and stormed into Angelo's taking a seat at the bar.

"Hey Kyle give me one of those will ya." Heath said pointing to a beer bottle.

Kyle approached the bar and handed Heath a drink. "You okay?" Kyle asked.

Heath sighed. "It's not getting any easier ya know." Kyle nodded.

"I can only imagine what it must be like for you and Brax, I mean growing up with Casey and all. It's worrying me and I've only known Casey for a year." Kyle said.

"We didn't just grow up with him. Brax practically raised him. We would both go to the ends of the earth for that kid...and this is how he repays us. I'm so angry at him for doing this to us!" Heath slammed his fist on the counter.

"I just wish we knew something!" Heath yelled frustrated.

"You going back to the hospital this afternoon?" Kyle asked.

"Yeah, I kind of stormed out of there when Casey's machines started to beep."

"Why? What happened?" Kyle asked but Heath only shrugged.

"Don't know. I left before I knew what happened." Heath explained.

"Well I'm almost finished here maybe we could go together. I was gonna bring Brax some meals from the restaurant. I'm worried about him too Heath. He won't leave Casey's beside and hasn't eaten or slept in days. He's shutting everyone out." Kyle said.

"I know what you mean. Maybe we can convince the big fella to take a night off." Heath suggested.

Kyle grabbed the food and followed Heath to his Ute and the two drove to the hospital.

Kyle and Heath walked into Casey's hospital room.

"Hey Brax." Kyle greeted. "Big fella." Heath greeted.

Heath walked up to Brax and rested his hand on his shoulder, receiving a sigh from Brax.

"Hey I brought you some food, thought you might be hungry." Kyle placed the food down on the side table.

"Thanks mate." Brax gripped Casey's hand in his. "What if he never wakes up? This never should have happened." Brax whispered.

"Casey is a tough kid Brax, you've said so yourself. We just have to stay strong for him and keep our hopes up." Kyle replied.

"There's no question about Casey making it through, because there is no way I'm letting the squirt get away with doing this without kicking his butt." Heath stated, gaining his strength back to fight this situation.

There was silence between the brothers for a few moments before Kyle spoke. "Look Brax, maybe you should go home and get a proper rest, let Heath and I stay with Casey the night."

Brax glared at Kyle. "How can you even suggest that to me Kyle?" Brax snapped.

"I...You need to take care of yourself too Brax. We're worried about you." Kyle said cautiously.

"Yeah big fella, we'll let you know the second anything changes." Brax huffed.

"So you're on his side now Heath? I don't care about me! I care about Casey and I am not leaving him until he wakes up! Now back off both of you!" Brax snapped, standing up and glaring at his brothers.

"Brax, calm down mate." Heath said as he touched Brax's arm, realising the severity of what had been going on around him whilst he was so caught up in his own anger.

"No! I'm not leaving Casey's side! You understand?" Brax yelled.

Heath and Kyle nodded as they watched Brax slump back in his chair and rest Casey's hand against his forehead, grasped in his own hands.

"Heath, do you remember the time Casey was ten and broke his arm?"

"Yeah, how could I forget? After he fell from the tree at the river and Mum ran after me and smacked me across the head for not watching him. I thought my ears were gonna bleed she whacked me that hard."

Heath rubbed the back of his head remembering how Cheryl had hit him.

"Yeah, but I was thinking more about what happened after, when Casey was in hospital." Brax implied.

Heath shook his head.

"I sat by Casey's side then, holding his hand, like now and he asked me one thing..."

"What?" Kyle pressed, seeing Brax shutting down again.

"He asked me if I would stay with him and I told him I would always be by his side. I promised him I wouldn't leave him and this time is no different."

Brax gently ran his hand over Casey's head.

"Well in that case I'm staying with you." Heath spoke.

"Me too. I can stay the night before my shift in the morning." Kyle added.

"You boys don't have to do that. I'm fine to keep an eye on Casey."

"We know you can, you have been his whole life, but we're family Brax." Heath stated.

"You have to let us be there for you too, you need some rest, even if you just sleep for a few hours and you'd still be here with Casey." Kyle added.

Brax nodded and rested his head down next to Casey's body.

* * *

><p>Heath was in the front garden of the Braxton house when John Palmer walked by to check his post.<p>

"Hey Heath. Just wanna know how young Casey is getting on?" John asked.

Heath shrugged. "He's still in a coma, no change."

"Ah Mate, if it's any consolation Marilyn, Jett and I send our wishes. Casey is a fine young lad and we hope he gets back on his feet again soon." John said.

Heath shrugged. "Thanks Palmer." Heath went to go inside but turned back towards John.

"Mate, and thanks for being there that day at the beach. You gave Casey a chance."

John nodded. "I'd have done that for anyone but especially Casey. You boys look after him." John tapped Heath on the arm and Heath gave a nod.

"Let me know if any of you boys need anything." He pointed at Heath before he walked back inside his house.

"Yeah, we need Casey." Heath whispered and walked back into his house, laying down on his bed.


	16. Telling Cheryl

**Chapter 16 – Telling Cheryl**

**KYLE POV **

It was day four and Casey still had not made any change and Brax still refused to leave his bedside, but this time he had Heath and me waiting by his side too. Somehow watching my brothers sitting next to Casey made me feel distant and unsure on what to say to them.

They both shared such a strong bond with Casey and I had only known him for a short time, so it was nowhere near the same as what Brax and Heath had. I still wish I had done something to help Casey.

I loved him too and he was too young to have his life ripped out from under him like this, he didn't deserve this. I had to be hopeful for Brax's sake but I was worried what would happen if Casey didn't pull through.

I realised that it wasn't only us three that should know about Casey's condition, it was Cheryl. I knew of her relationship with my brothers but if Casey hadn't improved by now she had a right to know her son was in hospital. The least I could do was to help take that stress off Brax and Heath and notify Cheryl.

"Ah look I just got to go somewhere, I'll be back later." I stated as I stood up.

"Where you off to?" Heath questioned.

"There's just something I've got to do. Bye." I quickly replied and left.

**NORMAL POV**

Heath gave Kyle a wave before staring back at Casey. Heath observed the cuts on his arms and gently moved Casey's arm around to check them over.

"What do you think was going through Case's head when he did this to himself?" Heath asked.

Brax ran his hand over the cuts and shrugged. "Nate said that people do that to have some sense of control over their emotions." Brax explained.

"But wouldn't that hurt, cutting at your own skin like that?" Heath questioned.

"Nate said that cutting distorts the mind. Most times that even though the cutting may be painful to them it's nowhere near as painful as the reason they do it." Brax explained, giving a shrug as he tried to understand it as well.

"I guess this revelation hurt Casey harder than any of us could even imagine. I still don't understand it but I guess Casey was so hurt and overwhelmed he felt the need to cut himself to compensate." Brax tried to comprehend.

Heath gently rubbed Casey's arm. "I still wish the kid had talked to us ya know."

"Yeah I know. Me too." Brax replied sadly.

* * *

><p>Cheryl opened the door to her house with a queried look on her face.<p>

"What are you bloody doing here?" She questioned, in a rude tone.

"Hello Mrs. Braxton." Kyle greeted.

"Ya didn't answer me question." Cheryl demanded as she scanned Kyle over. "Just look at ya, with that face and that hair and those fancy clothes...I don't want ya on my doorstep, ya got nothing to do with me."

Kyle huffed. "Mrs. Braxton!" He snapped.

"What?" Cheryl replied rudely. "I'm here because I thought you should know about Casey."

"What business of yours is my son?" Cheryl questioned.

"Casey's in the hospital, he is in a state of coma after he almost drowned while under the influence of alcohol." Kyle explained.

Cheryl shook her head. "My boys have done some stupid things but my Casey wouldn't do something that stupid."

Kyle shook his head. "Fine, don't believe me. I just thought you should know, being his mother and all." Kyle turned to leave.

"Oi! You better not be messing with me boy." Cheryl stated.

"I'm not. Casey really is in hospital." Kyle replied.

Cheryl eyed Kyle. "Why hasn't Darryl or Heath called me and instead sent some kid that ain't even mine?" Kyle rolled his eyes at Cheryl's behavior.

"You're exactly like Danny after all." Cheryl commented.

"What?" Kyle questioned.

"Ya got no respect." Cheryl replied.

Kyle gasped at the comment. "Mrs. Braxton..."

"How long has my boy been in the hospital?" Cheryl asked.

"Four days...Well today will be the fourth day." Kyle said.

"Yeah, yeah. Stop blabbering. Has Darryl known this whole time?"

"Mrs. Braxton, I'm not going into..."

"Has he?" Cheryl pushed.

Kyle sighed. "Yeah of course, he's been with Casey since he was taken in."

Cheryl huffed. "Boy am I gonna give that boy an earful when I see him." Cheryl stated and shook her head, grabbing her bag and hitting Kyle on the chest.

"Well what are ya bloody waiting for, get out of me way. I have to go see my baby." Cheryl started walking down the path.

"Mrs. Braxton!" Cheryl turned at glare at Kyle.

"What? Are you still bloody here?" Cheryl snapped.

"Let me give you a lift." Kyle offered.

"What makes you think I'll get in a car with you?"

Kyle knew Cheryl was difficult but this was beyond frustrating. "It'll get you to the hospital faster."

Cheryl considered the option. "Alright, but only because I want to see my baby." She stormed towards Brax's car that Kyle had borrowed and got in.

Driving to the hospital Cheryl did nothing but nag at Kyle. "Urg! Can't you drive any faster?"

"I'm doing the speed limit." Kyle groaned, having had enough of Cheryl's nagging.

"Well it ain't fast enough! And learn to show some respect will ya! I know Danny wasn't much one for manners, but you're in my presence now and I don't tolerate that disrespect!" She lightly slapped the back of his head.

"Hey!" Kyle protested.

"Well shut ya mouth and ya attitude and get driving!"

Kyle huffed and hoped he would reach the hospital soon so he could forget about this whole trip.

Kyle and Cheryl walked into Casey's room. "What's the big idea? You two boys keeping my baby's health a secret."

Brax and Heath stared at Cheryl. Cheryl walked up to Brax and tapped his shoulder.

"Didn't think of telling me Darryl?" She questioned.

"Mum, not now." Brax groaned and glared at Kyle before standing up and walking over to him. Cheryl stood and hovered over Casey.

Brax gripped Kyle's arm. "Come with me. Outside now!" He said through gritted teeth and dragged Kyle out of the room.

"What do you think you're doing calling Mum and bringing her down here?" Brax demanded.

"Brax she should know." Kyle said.

"Who are you to say that?" Brax snapped.

"She's Casey's mum..." Kyle defended.

"That is not your call to make! I don't need her here right now and the last thing Casey would want when he wakes up is to see Mum there!" Brax shouted.

"Brax I'm sorry..."

"Just think next time. When it comes to my family don't ever make decisions without my consent." Brax said firmly, receiving a nod from Kyle.

"Haven't you got a shift?" Brax asked shortly and Kyle nodded.

"Well ya better get going then." He waved at him to leave.

"I'll see you back here later." Kyle said quietly, feeling guilty at aggravating Brax's stress.

"Yep." Brax replied shortly and walked back into Casey's room.

As Brax approached Casey's bed, Cheryl glared at him while gently stroking her son's hair.

"My baby. How could you Darryl?"

"Mum, please just leave it okay?" Brax replied.

"No Darryl. My own son doesn't tell me my baby is in a coma! How do you expect me to react?" Cheryl stated and Brax just slumped in his chair again.

Cheryl grabbed one of Casey's arms from under the blanket to hold his hand and gasped when she saw the harsh cuts over her son's arm.

"What's this?" She demanded.

"Case has been cutting himself Mum." Heath whispered.

"What? What else aren't you boys telling me?" She yelled as she stared at her son's arm in disgust.

Heath sighed. "Case was in the hospital a few weeks ago." Heath started to tell Cheryl.

"Heath don't." Brax implied.

"Shut up Darryl. Go on tell me!" She yelled at Heath.

"He came in with alcohol poisoning after he found out the truth about Dad...He was trying to top himself." Heath whispered and Brax hung his head.

Upon hearing the shocking news Cheryl had tears in her eyes.

"What is wrong with you two? You are meant to be keeping an eye on him!" She shouted.

Brax clenched his fist and stared at his mother. "I don't need this from you Mum! Don't blame us for not looking out for him when it was your mistake of not telling him the truth that got him here in the first place!" Brax yelled.

"He wouldn't want you here, and neither do I. So just leave!" Brax shouted.

Tears slipped from Cheryl's eyes as she stood being accused at by her son.

"It took you long enough to tell me I'm a terrible mother Darryl." Cheryl turned away and went to walk out of the room. "I'll leave you boys alone."

Brax slumped against the bed, resting his hands against his head.

"I'll go." Heath spoke and followed his mother out of the room.

"Mum! Mum!" Cheryl stopped and turned to look at Heath behind her.

Heath could tell she was upset and she had tears falling down her face. Heath approached her and rested his hand on her shoulder.

"Mum, Brax doesn't mean that..."

"He sure sounded like he did." Cheryl choked out. "All I've ever wanted was the best for you three boys and I know I struggled with Danny when you three were growing up but you're all still me boys and now I've ruined my youngest boys life."

Cheryl went to walk off again but was held back by Heath. "Come on Mum, don't be like that. Brax is just upset about Casey, we all are. He loves you just as much as me, and I'm sure Case does too, he just needs time to figure this all out." Heath explained and wrapped his arms around his mother and Cheryl returned the hug.

When Cheryl pulled away she gently stroked her hand across Heath's cheek. "Darryl's right, Casey won't want to see me when he wakes up, but make sure you tell him I love him." Heath nodded.

"I'll let you know when Casey does wake up." Cheryl stepped towards Heath again and kissed his cheek.

"You're a good boy." Cheryl then turned to leave the hospital and Heath walked back down to Casey's room.

"Mum was pretty upset." Heath said.

"What do you want me to say Heath?" Brax snapped.

"You really should have told her." Heath said eliciting a sigh from Brax.

"Not you too. My main focus right now is Casey, I don't have time for Mum's problems."

"I'm just saying she's our Mum mate, Casey's mum." Heath commented.

"Yeah I know." Brax replied quietly and sat down next to Casey again and watched his brother, he knew Cheryl had just as much right to be there as they did.

"I told her I'd let her know when Case wakes up." Brax nodded. "Yeah thanks mate."


	17. Hospital altercations

**Chapter 17- Hospital altercations. (Fifth day) **

**NORMAL POV**

Josh followed Andy into the surf club. Andy grabbed the pool cue and started setting up for a game of pool.

"How can you leave it like this Andy? I mean don't you want to know about Casey as our brother?" Josh nagged.

Andy glared at Josh. "I already told you to leave it. Casey is not part of our family and never will be so you stay away from him." Andy replied in a cold tone.

"Andy I can't just forget that Casey is my half brother!" Josh snapped.

"Well maybe if you want him so much to be your brother you can forget about me being ya brother." Andy replied.

"Come on Andy don't be like that!" Josh protested.

Andy just pushed Josh out of the way to get his position for his move at the pool table and ignored his brother.

"You can't pretend this isn't the truth forever Andy! You have to realise the truth about Casey isn't going to change." Josh pushed.

John Palmer had overheard part of Andy and Josh's conversation and interrupted.

"You two talking about young Casey?" John asked.

"What's it to you old man, just back off will ya?" Andy warned.

"Ha, and I thought the Braxton's were rude when they first got here. You take the cake young fella." John pointed his finger at Andy.

"Thanks old man now bugger off. I'm playing a game of pool here."

John pulled the white ball off the table. "Now you're not!" John gave a smug smile.

Andy glared at John and slammed the pool stick down. "This place is boring anyway, no wonder no-one ever come in here." Andy snapped.

John glared at Andy as he stormed towards the exit.

Josh turned to John. "I'm sorry about my brother."

"Yeah well he better change his attitude, I don't want his sorts in my business." John said.

Josh nodded but before he walked away he turned back to John.

"Um...Hey, you live next door to the Braxton's right? What's Casey like? I wanted to talk to him but I haven't seen him around." Josh asked.

John raised his eyebrows at the question. "Casey's a fine boy, he don't need the likes of you and your brother messing with him, but the reason you haven't seen him around is because the poor kid's in hospital in a coma." John explained.

"What?" Josh exclaimed.

"Yeah wiped out in the surf, knocked him around pretty hard."

"Is he okay?" Josh asked quickly. John shrugged.

"Haven't seen much of his brothers around either, suppose they're at the hospital all the time. Sure hope Casey wakes up soon though. It'll be such a shame to see anything bad happen to such a good young lad." John said and Josh gave a nod.

"Thanks." Josh replied.

Josh was shocked at the news, he had barely had the chance to get to know his brother, and now he might never know him.

Andy rolled his eyes as he noticed Josh finally walk out of the surf club.

"What took you so long?" Andy questioned. Josh was in a fazed state of mind and mumbled back to his brother.

"What's changed your tune? You were nagging my head off in there." Andy questioned.

"Casey's in a coma in the hospital. He wiped out in the surf." Josh explained, still unsure on what to think.

"Ha this is great!" Andy laughed.

"What? How can you say that Andy?" Josh snapped and went to storm off.

"Ah come on Josh, lighten up will ya?" Andy joked.

"Casey's in a bad way Andy!" Josh snapped.

"And why would I care? That family has done nothing for me." Josh shook his head in annoyance at his brother.

"I'm going." Josh stated in an irritated tone.

"Josh." Andy called but Josh stormed off, not bothering to look back at his brother.

* * *

><p>Josh made his way to the hospital and cautiously walked through the doors. He didn't know what he would say or how he was going to act when he got to Casey's room. He didn't know what he should be feeling.<p>

Just because he had only found out about Casey being family didn't mean he knew how to approach a situation like this, especially if Brax, Heath, or Kyle were there which he had barely had any contact with. However he still felt some obligation to visit Casey in hospital.

Josh stood outside Casey's room and looked at Heath and Brax sitting by his bedside. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Hi." Josh greeted quietly. He received a glare from Brax and Heath immediately stood up.

"What do you want?" Brax demanded causing Josh to hesitate.

"I heard about Casey. I just wanted to see if he was okay." Josh said quietly.

"Well clearly he ain't, or are you blind?" Heath retorted.

"It's your family's fault Case is in this mess!" Heath lunged towards Josh and the sensitive boy stood back, he was not a fighter like his older brother Andy.

"Heath leave it, we have more important things to worry about, like Casey." Brax said.

Heath pulled away and glared at Josh. "You and that rat of a brother of yours better stay away from my little brother, otherwise..." Heath threatened.

"Heath!" Brax warned. He did not want all this fighting in Casey's room. Brax gripped Casey's hand.

"Josh. Get out of this hospital room now, and I don't want to see you back here." Brax warned, not taking his eyes off Casey.

Josh slowly nodded and was startled backwards when Heath pretended to jump towards him.

"I'm really sorry. I really hope Casey wakes up soon." Josh whispered.

"Get out baby Barrett!" Heath yelled and waved his hand at Josh. Josh swung his hands in his pockets and left the room.

Heath walked back over to Casey's bed. "The nerve of that kid showing up here." Heath stated, causing Brax to glare at him.

"The nerve of you." Brax snapped.

"What?" Heath was taken aback by his brother's accusation.

"Starting a fight here in this room when your brother is in a coma! He doesn't deserve such disrespect!" Brax snapped.

Heath stood shocked. "Brax, I'm sorry...but you know how I get...I'm just so angry at that family for what they done to Case."

"Just leave." Brax spoke in a low tone.

"Brax you can't kick me out. I want to be here for Case." Brax glared at Heath.

"I said get out! I want to be left alone with Casey and if you can't think of something other than fighting for one second then its best you go."

Clearly the lack of food, sleep, and stress over Casey's condition was really taking its toll on the eldest Braxton.

"Fine! Have it your way!" Heath slammed his hand against a chair. "I'll come back later when you might have come to your senses."

Brax huffed as Heath stormed out of the room.

* * *

><p><em>Flashback-<em>

Five year old Casey was sitting up excited in his bed listening attentively to his big brother reading his favorite story. Brax finished the last line and closed the book.

"Again! Again!" Casey squealed hitting his hands on the bed covers.

Brax sighed. "Casey no. It's bed time." Brax told him.

Casey pouted. "Fine then I'll scream and I won't stop until you read it to me again!" Casey bargained and had now climbed out of his bed and stood on his mattress with his arms folded challenging his brother.

Brax knew when Casey was in his bribing moods being stern would only result in a tantrum and he was not in the mood for that. Brax glared at Casey.

"Is that so huh? Well then I guess I'm gonna have to make sure I do better than that and really give you something to scream about." Brax warned in a gentler tone before he pulled Casey's legs out from under him and dropped him back down on his bed and started tickling him.

Casey screamed out and giggled, trying to escape his brother's tickling torture but it was no use.

"Brax! Brax!"

"I thought you said you were going to scream anyway, I'm just helping ya." Brax laughed and he continued to tickle his baby brother.

"No! No! Stop!" Casey struggled. Brax continued to laugh playfully.

"Brax! Please stop or I'll have to go toilet." Casey gasped.

Brax could see his brother becoming tired from struggling and immediately stopped, resting his hands around Casey's waist and smiled at his brother.

"You had enough...you ready to be a good boy and hop into bed?"

Casey nodded obediently he did not want his brother to tickle him again.

Brax smiled. "Good, come on."

Brax tapped his hands on Casey's waist and pulled away so Casey could climb back into his bed.

"Lie down so I can tuck you in." Brax ordered. "Night Case. Sleep well." Brax smiled and turned to leave.

"Brax?"

Brax turned back and raised his eyebrow.

"You forgot something." Casey whispered.

Brax gave a confused look and watched as Casey wriggled his arms out from under his covers and held them out.

Brax smiled and walked back over to the bed and leaned down, giving Casey a hug.

When Brax pulled away and stood up, Casey still kept his arms outstretched and moaned.

"Brax...Brax...I wanna tell you something."

Brax sighed. "Casey it's getting late, now that is enough. You've had your story and you've had your hug, now its bedtime, for real." Brax said sternly.

Casey pouted and looked away sadly, causing Brax to sigh and lean down to Casey's level.

"Fine, what is it that you wanted to tell me?" He asked gently.

Casey reached himself up and kissed his big brother on the cheek. "I love you."

Casey pulled back and lay back down in his sheets. Brax felt touched and stared at his brother lovingly.

Casey snuggled himself back into his sheets and Brax covered him up again.

"I love you too." Casey smiled at Brax and closed his eyes. Brax turned the light off and left the room.

_End Flashback._

* * *

><p>Brax stood up and leaned over his brother, staring at the tubes and wires all over his face. Brax gently moved back Casey's hair and leaned down to gently kiss his brother's forehead.<p>

"Come on Casey, I don't know how much more I can take of this." He whispered as he stared at his brother's closed eyes.

Being so affectionate was not something him or his brothers done very often or lightly for that matter, but Heath was right. Looking at Casey in the hospital bed made Brax realise this was still his little baby brother, only now older and taller, but inside he was still the big hearted, vulnerable boy that Brax had raised.

Brax sat back down on the chair and rested his head against the bed, again gripping Casey's hand tightly in his, Brax couldn't force his eyes to stay open anymore, and for the first time in days he fell asleep.


	18. The dream

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**The first two parts of Brax's dreams are memories, the final part is more a fear and is sad. **

**Chapter 18 – The dream **

**NORMAL POV**

_(Dream sequence 1-past)_

Brax was again walking into the Mangrove River High school to deal with his 14 year old youngest brother, after being called in that he had started a fight with another student.

"What happened this time Casey?" Brax demanded.

"The kid just called me dumb okay!" Casey snapped.

"Oi! Don't you raise your voice to me! Just because someone calls you names does not mean you give them a bloody nose and black eye!" Brax said sternly.

The principle entered the room.

"Thank you for coming in Mr. Braxton, as we were unable to get in contact with your mother and as Casey's secondary contact, we regret to inform you that Casey is suspended from school for the next three weeks. This is the final straw and if Casey is caught fighting on school grounds again he will be immediately expelled." The principle informed Brax.

Brax nodded and glared at Casey. "Don't worry, it won't. Will it Casey?" Brax warned.

"No" Casey mumbled.

"Sorry?" Brax questioned firmly.

Casey slumped. "I said no Brax." Casey replied louder.

"It had better not." Brax warned.

"Look, we understand your brother struggles because of his learning disability but our student safety is our most important priority."

"I understand, but that's no excuse. Come on Casey." Brax ordered and walked out of the Principles office shoving his brother towards his car.

Casey tried to block out Brax's yelling. "Casey you know how much I want you to get a good education so you can get a better life than what we have and this constant punching...Casey, are you listening?" Brax ended with a shout.

"It's hard not to." Casey mumbled and rolled his eyes, but it was loud enough for Brax to hear and he shoved his brother around to face him.

"Pardon? You wanna choose now to give me attitude? I'm not in the mood Casey. This punching people business has to stop!" Brax said sternly.

"I can't help it! You know I lash out when things don't go my way and that kid was being nothing but a damn butt hole!" Casey yelled.

Brax stopped him at the car and pushed his chest. "Oi! You watch your language. Where do you get this stuff from?" Brax questioned.

"It's called school Brax, you know the place you so desperately want me to go." Casey spat back, only to find Brax giving him an unimpressed look.

"Don't get smart." Brax warned and pointed at him.

Casey scoffed and was about to open his mouth with a comeback but Brax glared at him, knowing exactly what remark he was about to come out with.

"Don't even think about it." Brax warned.

Casey sighed. "I don't see why I have to go to school. You and Heath didn't!" Casey protested.

"I want different for you."

"Why? Because I'm too dumb to be like you or Heath with my stupid learning problem!" Casey snapped.

"No, you're a smart kid and have a lot going for ya, that is unless you don't stop getting into fights." Casey turned away.

"I don't want to get called about you fighting again Casey, do I make myself clear? Otherwise I'm gonna give ya something to worry about more than what some kid calling you names would." Brax warned.

"Fine." Casey mumbled and turned away defeated.

"Good. Now when we get home you can expect to be doing nothing but study the whole three weeks of your suspension, including surfing."

Casey opened his mouth in shock. "Brax." Casey protested.

"What? You wanna argue with me Casey?" Brax questioned, raising his eyebrows.

"No." Casey whispered.

"Get in the car." Brax shoved Casey into his car.

_(End dream)_

* * *

><p><em>(Dream sequence 2)<em>

Heath, Brax and Casey walked towards the ocean as the waves crashed in front of them. They had not gone for a surf together since before Danny had been released from jail. Danny coming back into their lives had caused plenty of tension between the brothers, so this was their way of moving on.

"Looks great huh?" Heath spoke.

"Yup. I hope you boys are ready to be wiped out by the best." Brax joked and Casey laughed.

"Race you." Casey took off down the sand, quickly followed by Heath.

"Hey wait for me!" Brax yelled with a laugh.

Heath and Casey were play fighting waiting for Brax to reach them. Brax smiled and shook his head.

"Grow up you two!" Brax gave a laugh.

"It ain't our fault you're getting too old for our fun!" Casey joked and Heath burst out laughing.

Brax raised his eyebrows. "Oi, what's with the old jokes huh?" Brax ruffled up Casey's hair.

"We gonna do this or what are we, girls?" Heath joked.

The three brothers smiled and ran into the surf, paddling out into the water together. The strength of their brotherly bond shining through as they each wrapped their arms around each other's shoulders, as they floated on the water.

The boys broke apart and swam further into the ocean, standing up on their boards, riding the wave. They each looked over at each other and smiled. Right then nothing seemed more perfect...

_(End dream)_

* * *

><p><em>(Dream sequence 3)<em>

Brax stood next to his brothers, Heath and Kyle. All three were dressed in black suits with a withdrawn look on their face. The groundskeeper of the cemetery placed the cloth over the coffin in the ground. Brax clenched his fists as Heath wrapped each of his arms around his brothers, Kyle and Brax returning the gesture. Life would just not be the same without Casey...Without Casey...

_(End dream)_

* * *

><p>Brax startled awake from his dream, he was breathing heavily and was trying to bring himself back to reality. He could believe he had just dreamt that Casey had died.<p>

Tears sprung in Brax's eyes as he grasped Casey's hand tightly, shaking it in his own as he tried not to cry. Brax felt a twitch in his hand and his heart raced. Gently placing Casey's hand back down on the bed he stared at his brother for any sign of movement. He was sure he felt something, he couldn't still be dreaming.

"Hey how's it going?"

Brax was interrupted in his thought when he heard the voice of Heath behind him. Brax turned to face his brothers.

"What's wrong?" Kyle asked, sensing the unusual presence of Brax's demeanor.

Brax gave a sigh of relief. "I think I felt Casey's hand twitch."

Kyle and Heath gave a surprised look and Heath ran over to the bed and held Casey's hand.

"Case can you hear me? Wake up mate." Heath said but there was no response.

Heath gave Kyle a look of worry, but it was not overlooked by Brax who stood up.

"What? You don't believe me?" Brax defended.

Kyle walked over to Brax and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Brax you've been really tired and Case being here has been really hard on you."

Brax shrugged Kyle off angrily. "I can't believe you two! I know what I felt and I'm fine!" Brax shouted.

The brother's were interrupted when Nate walked through the door.

"Is everything alright? I heard shouting." Nate asked concerned. The three stared at Nate.

"Casey twitched his hand." Brax stated.

Nate quickly rushed over to Casey's bedside and assessed his reflexes and vitals. Nate glanced at Brax then towards Heath and Kyle.

"What's the verdict doc?" Heath questioned.

Nate sighed. "Casey's eye reflexes have improved but there is no response from any of his extremities." Heath and Kyle slumped.

"No! Check it again! He was moving! I know he was!" Brax shouted distressed as he watched his brother motionless.

"Brax you have been struggling a lot..." Nate started.

"No! Don't you dare tell me that I imagined it, like these two over here, just because I've been stressed or had no sleep!" Brax yelled.

"Brax please calm down. Casey is not showing enough response and I must press the risks of Casey never recovering or being able to function." Nate explained.

Brax glared at Nate. "You're giving up on him?" Brax demanded.

"I'm just preparing you for the worst." Nate explained.

"Well don't Nate! Casey is going to be just fine! He's gonna be fine!" Brax shouted and ran his hands through his hair frustrated.

Brax paced the room before letting out a loud frustrated yell and kicking the chair across the room.

"Brax." Nate started but Heath stopped him, knowing that when his older brother was in this state it was best to leave him alone.

"I'll come back later." Nate added as he watched Brax on his way out from leaving the room. Kyle followed Nate out of the room.

"Nate!" Nate turned back to Kyle.

"How bad is it likely to be?" Kyle asked.

"For someone who has fallen into a coma through substance abuse and near drowning, their risks of coming through in a highly reduced functioning rate or vegetative state are incredibly high. I'm talking 80-90 percent." Nate explained.

Kyle sighed. "But that doesn't mean everyone turns out like that though?" Kyle asked hoping Casey still had a fighting chance.

"Well, no, a small few people have recovered with very little effect, but that is very rare. One would have to be very lucky. That's why I want to prepare you all of what you might need to do for Casey when he wakes up."

Kyle sighed defeated. "Thanks."

Nate gave a nod and walked off down the hospital hallway.

Kyle re-entered Casey's hospital room and noticed the chair that Brax had kicked over had been righted and Brax was now sitting down with his head in his hands while Heath stood day-dreaming out the window.

"I just spoke to Nate." Kyle whispered. Heath turned and Brax glanced up slightly.

"He said there is a rare chance Casey will make it out of this fully functional."

Heath shook his head and stormed out of the room. Kyle slumped defeated, he hated watching his brothers hurting so much and feeling so helpless, even though he cared for Casey too it was nowhere as intense as what Heath and Brax would be going through.

"Brax, are you alright?" Kyle asked his brother.

Brax looked at Kyle. "Yeah...I really believed Casey twitched ya know." Brax replied, feeling like he had lost all his faith.

Kyle nodded, "That's because you wanted him to. To know he was on his way to pulling through. You out of all of us had the most faith in him." Kyle replied gently.

Kyle had never seen Brax so vulnerable, he was always the strong one in the family, hiding his feelings, yet here he was, completely torn and it worried Kyle.

Brax was the rock that held them all together, always helping them all out and yet now Brax's barriers had seemed to crack.


	19. Responses

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Thank you to all the amazing readers and reviewers. :)**

**Some good news comes for Casey soon!**

**Chapter 19 - Responses**

**NORMAL POV**

Later that night the three brothers sat in Casey's room waiting for any sign of a response. It was around 9pm when Nate came in to check Casey's vitals. Kyle, Heath, and Brax looked to him concerned when he started taking down more notes and continually observing Casey's eye reflexes and muscle tone.

"What's happening?" Kyle asked.

"Brax might have been right before when he said Casey had twitched. It seems he is starting to gain some reflex back in his muscles and eyes." Nate explained.

"Is that a good thing?" Heath questioned.

"That's a very good thing. It means Casey could be on his way out of his coma. It's still early days yet, but generally when people get to this stage they begin to respond to sounds." Nate told them.

"What are you saying?" Heath asked.

"I'm saying you should talk to him, that his mind is alert enough to hear what is around him, but not enough to respond."

The three brothers felt relieved finally they might get their baby brother back. Nate finished his monitoring and left the room.

Heath squeezed Casey's hand. "The doc says you can hear now, well I hope you're listening good Case. You better get well real soon and make a full recovery so you can come surfing with ya big brothers."

Heath leaned down closer to Casey's ear and continued, "and so I can kick your butt for putting us through all this worry and scare."

Kyle and Brax gave a weak smile and Heath stood up squeezing Casey's hand again.

Next Kyle sat down next to Casey and held his hand. "I know you and I started off on the wrong foot but I just want you to know I have grown to love you like my little brother Case, and I couldn't ask for a kinder hearted person to be part of my family. Get better for us please."

Kyle gently rubbed his hand up and down Casey's injured arm before standing up and wandering around the room.

"See Case, ya got three big brothers who are worried sick about you and who love you." Brax said and sighed when he received no response.

Heath's phone beeped in his pocket, pulling it out he read the message from Bianca,

_'__How's Casey?'_

_'__The doc says Case is on his way to recovering, he can hear us now. I'll be home soon babe, love ya.'_ Heath replied in a message.

Brax stared up at his brother. "Was that Bianca?" Brax asked.

"Yeah, she's just asking how Case is." Heath replied.

"You going to head home and fill her in?" Brax asked. Heath stared over at Casey.

"Mate do you mind? I kinda need a break from being here at the hospital." Heath replied, shamefully that he was leaving his brothers side.

"Yeah mate, go on. I'll let you know if Case wakes up." Heath rubbed Brax's shoulder.

"Thanks mate, I'll be back later." Heath left the hospital room, leaving Kyle and Brax with Casey.

Kyle walked over to Casey's bed and sat down in a chair, taking Casey's right hand in his as he glanced over at Brax on the opposite side of the bed.

"Thanks for staying mate." Brax told Kyle.

"I hope he pulls through soon, I kind of miss arguing with him over who gets the first shower in the morning. It just hasn't been the same at home without his infectious laughter and happy nature spreading through the house." Kyle stated and Brax gave a nod.

"We are going to get him through all this aren't we?" Kyle asked.

"We're gonna try." Brax replied. Kyle stood back up.

"I'm gonna go and grab something to eat, you want anything?" He asked, feeling hungry from being at the hospital for so long.

"Nah mate, I'm alright." Brax replied.

"Okay. I'll be back soon."

* * *

><p>Brax sat alone staring at Casey, thinking about what Nate said and he fell into a trance of talking to Casey like normal.<p>

"Do you remember the time I took you and Heath camping and he spent the whole time teasing you because you were afraid of the bugs, so to get back at him you filled his sleeping bag with wet grass and mud, because you knew how much Heath loved to have his sacred place to sleep and not have it tampered with. He got so mad he chased you all around the camp site trying to tackle you but instead he tripped and fell into the river, and got saturated. I've never seen you laugh so hard when you saw all his clothes got wet. It took him a while to get over that though, didn't it Case? He had to sit around in wet clothes for the rest of the trip."

Brax smiled as he retold the story to Casey.

Brax continued. "And then there was that time Heath played that awful trick on you when you were six and pretended he was bleeding, but he only smeared sauce on himself, but you ran out of the house screaming that your brother was dying. He got an earful from Mum that day after scaring you. It took you ages to figure out Heath was just joking and when you realised that you ran up to him and kicked him in the shin so hard that you made him cry like a wuss and left a massive bruise, he didn't play anymore tricks on ya after that hey, I guess you showed him you were a tough one after all." Brax laughed.

Brax paused for a moment just watching his brother's slow breathing, lost in thought before he continued.

"This is a good one, how about when I taught you to surf after you nagged me every day for two weeks to teach you and when you went out in the water for the first time you got so frustrated you couldn't get it right and stormed out of the water telling me you never wanted to surf in your life again. I just picked you right up and carried you back into the water and made you try it again and that was the moment you caught your first wave. You gave me the biggest beaming smiled I'd ever seen. You remember that Case? Now look at ya, you love surfing."

Brax smiled at Casey and stroked his hair. Brax thought back to all the times that Casey was ever scared, hurt or just needed help, Brax was always the only one that could get though to him and comfort him. Casey adored his big brother.

"You've always relied on me mate, why do I feel I've let you down this time?" Brax asked sadly.


	20. Retelling the past

**Chapter 20 – Retelling the past**

**NORMAL POV**

_Flashback_

"Casey I'd come inside if I were you. You know you're not allowed to be playing outside on your own. You'll be in big trouble if Mum or Brax catch you out there." Heath warned, in a slightly teasing tone.

Heath often got smug when Casey got in trouble, as being the youngest he had everyone wrapped around his finger, he was the golden boy.

Five year old Casey continued to play with his truck in the dirt.

"But I don't wanna go inside." He whined.

Heath shrugged. "Suit yourself...Hey is that Brax coming now?" Heath teased.

Casey panicked he did not want Brax to be mad at him for not doing as he was told.

Casey dropped the truck he was playing with and ran as fast as he could towards the back door, leaving Heath laughing at Casey's reaction to his joke, but in the end it was no joke.

Nearing the door Casey tripped and fell forward hitting his mouth against the bottom of the doorway and biting his lip.

Casey let out a scream and burst into tears. Heath stared wide-eyed in shock at Casey's accident and immediately raced to his brother's aid, helping him stand up. Heath gasped at the blood flowing out of Casey's mouth.

"Oww." Casey sobbed.

"Geez. It's okay Case. Brax! Brax hurry up and get down here!" Heath yelled.

Brax had been in the bedroom sorting out some laundry and hearing Heath's yell, he bolted out of the room and into the kitchen. "Heath?"

"Case is hurt."

Brax saw Casey crying and his mouth bleeding and ran up to him, assessing the damage.

"What happened?" He asked worried as he lifted Casey up and sat him on the kitchen bench and rushed to get a cloth to clean his mouth.

Brax pressed the wet cloth against Casey's mouth to try and wipe the blood away, but Casey whined and kept pulling away.

"Casey stay still, I need to clean you up. What happened?" Brax demanded again, looking over to Heath.

"Casey was playing outside with his truck..." Brax turned back to Casey.

"I wasn't Brax, I wasn't." Casey protested trying to avoid getting in trouble.

Brax turned back to Heath.

"He was outside and I told him to come inside otherwise he'd get in trouble and he didn't want to so I teased him, saying you were coming...He ran inside but tripped and hit his mouth on the door frame." Brax scowled, grabbing the cloth again and dabbing Casey's mouth.

"Casey what have I told you about running? Not to mention going outside by yourself." Brax warned.

Casey sobbed. "Sorry Brax. Please don't be mad." Casey whispered.

"How can I not be mad? With both of you acting stupidly one of you has now gotten hurt." Brax admonished.

"Brax I shouldn't have teased him... I'm sorry Case." Heath said.

"Never mind, we'll deal with all that later, right now we need to get a better look at you Case. Open your mouth."

Casey shook his head, he didn't want Brax prying in his mouth it hurt. "Casey." Brax warned.

Casey obediently opened his mouth and Brax stuck the cloth in wiping around the inside and noticed Casey had cut the inside of his lip from his tooth and one of his top teeth had been chipped.

Cheryl had finished in the shower and had come out to see the chaos in the kitchen.

"What's going on? Darryl?" She walked over to Casey. "My baby, what happened?" Cheryl asked.

"Casey fell and hit his mouth on the door frame." Brax replied.

"How'd he manage that?" Cheryl accused.

"He was outside." Brax replied.

"Why weren't either of you two watching him?" She accused Brax and Heath.

"Mum just leave it, it wasn't like that." Brax replied. Cheryl saw Casey look away.

"Casey did you go outside by yourself?" She yelled. Casey started to sniff again.

"You know you are not allowed to do that! Now look at ya!" Cheryl yelled.

"Mum please! Casey's bit his lip and chipped his tooth pretty bad."

Cheryl sighed. "Fine. He'll have to go to the dentist." Cheryl walked out of the room to make a call for an appointment for Casey.

"Brax what's a dencest?" Casey asked.

"Dentist. A dentist will have a look at your tooth and fix it for you." Brax smiled and lifted his brother off the counter.

"Okay I've got an appointment for you at 4 o'clock." Cheryl announced.

"But I don't want to go." Casey whined.

"Ya going Casey. This is what happens when ya don't do as you're told." Cheryl stated.

Cheryl, Brax, Heath, and Casey sat in the dentist's office waiting for Casey to be seen. Casey was pouting and struggling in his chair, he did not want someone looking in his mouth, and the smell in the office was scary.

"Casey Braxton?" The dentist called.

"Come on Case, it's your turn now." Brax encouraged but Casey shot out of the chair and hid under another chair, refusing to come out.

"Casey what are you doing?" Brax asked.

"Don't wanna see no dencest!" Casey screamed.

"Casey you stop this behavior and come out from there, you are wasting valuable time!" Cheryl ordered.

"No!" Casey screamed.

"Casey if you don't come out I will take away your favorite toy when we get home." Cheryl warned.

"Don't care!" Casey pouted.

Brax leaned down to look at Casey. "How's about I take you out to get some ice-cream after this, huh?" Brax spoke softly in the hopes of encouraging his brother out.

Casey shook his head. "Nah ah. No ice-cream."

Brax sighed and roughly pulled the chair away, despite Casey latching on. Cheryl pulled Casey away and held him tightly, carrying him towards the dentist's room. Casey screamed and screamed, kicking his legs. Heath had now blocked his ears from the screaming.

"Arg, give it a rest Casey!" Cheryl yelled and put Casey in the chair. "Now you behave yourself." She said sternly.

Casey immediately jumped off the chair and ran to Brax. "Brax I don't wanna." Casey whined.

"Case you have to." Brax comforted.

"But it's scary." Casey whined.

"It's not that bad Case, the dentist gets to look in your mouth and put some special cream in to make your tooth brand new." Brax comforted.

Casey wiped his eyes, blinking at his brother. "You do it?" Casey requested in an innocent tone.

Brax sighed and looked at the dentist.

"If I show you it's okay will you do it for me?" Brax asked gently. Casey shrugged.

Brax sat in the chair while Casey watched him get his mouth checked.

"See nothing to worry about." Brax said, but Casey was still hesitant.

"Can you sit with me?" Casey whispered.

"I don't know Case."

"Please Brax..." Casey begged.

"Can you do that?" Brax asked the dentist.

"I just need the kid to sit still." The dentist replied.

Brax then sat back in the chair, picking up Casey and sitting him on his lap, wrapping his arms around him.

"Open wide Casey." The dentist ordered.

Brax smiled at Casey to let him know it was okay and Casey did as he was told, allowing the dentist to fill in his tooth.

_End flashback. _

"What a struggle it was the day you had your first dental check up, hey. I honestly thought Mum was going to leave you there, she was getting so angry. You screamed the house down in the clinic that day and Heath was complaining all night how you made him deaf."

Brax smiled at the memory and squeezed Casey's hand. "I've watched you grow up every second of your life Case. I miss ya. We all miss ya. If you can hear this please come back to us mate."

* * *

><p>Kyle walked back into the room, holding a sandwich and drink.<p>

"Everything okay?" He asked.

"Yeah just talking to Casey." Brax replied casually.

Kyle stayed silent and sat back down in a chair near the door.

"I got this from some corner store down the road. It's a chicken and salad sandwich, you want some?"

Kyle split the sandwich and held a slice out. Brax raised his eyebrows and Kyle stood up, handing half of the sandwich to Brax.

"Thanks mate." Brax replied, taking a bite out of the sandwich.

Brax spent the night talking to Casey about the past, the restaurant, the weather, and surfing, practically anything he could think of to ramble to his baby brother. Kyle just sat and watched, feeling sorry at how hurt Brax must be feeling.

Kyle eventually fell asleep in the chair and Brax feel asleep against Casey's bed in the early hours of the morning.

Heath barged through the door at 9:30 the next morning, seeing both his brothers asleep. He gave them both a shove. "Oi, we ain't here to be sleeping beauties. Who's keepin' a watch on Case?"

Kyle rubbed his eyes and stretched and Brax groaned.

"Easy for you to say, you've been at home in a nice bed." Kyle groaned.

"Doesn't mean I wasn't worrying." Heath replied.

Heath stood beside Casey's bed and held his hand. "Any change?"

Brax shook his head. "I spent most of the night talking to him."

"Well no wonder then. The kid don't wanna wake up to hearing your voice babbling to him." Heath smiled, trying to lighten the mood with a joke.

The three brothers turned when they heard the door open and Nate walked in. "Morning. How was your night?" He asked.

"You really ought-ta get more comfy chairs. My back is killing me." Kyle moaned as he stretched again.

"Sorry, lack of funding. How's our patient doing?" Nate wandered over to Casey and started observing his reflexes.

Nate wasn't the only person who noticed Casey shift his hand. Brax alerted to the moment straight away and grabbed his brother's hand, squeezing tight. That was a good sign.


	21. Awake

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Thank you everyone who is reading and those who are reviewing. The feedback is highly appreciated :)**

**To reviewer Lily:**** Thank you so much for the lovely compliments on my writing. As for recommending Braxton fanfics still in progress, there are far too many good ones to name so maybe check out my profile favourites and see what fancies? I've got a lot of really good Braxton fics on there that still get updated. Some of the completed ones are really good too. :)**

**Yay Casey is back!**

**Chapter 21 - Awake**

**CASEY'S POV**

Everything was still hazy around me. I heard faint voices travelling in waves. I heard someone telling me memories of my past and others telling me to get better. Better from what? Where was I? I couldn't open my eyes and saw nothing but a bright light in front of me. In fact I had no energy to move at all. Was I dead, or was I dreaming?

I felt a tight sensation in my left hand. I wanted to look and see what it was from but I couldn't move. I twitched my hand and felt what seemed to be a strong hand wrapped around mine. I smelt a familiar smell, like a mixture of sweat and deodorant, the same smell I was use to at home, but that couldn't be true, why would Heath, Brax, and Kyle be here?

"Casey! Casey, can you hear me?"

I heard a shout as the pressure on my left hand squeezed tighter. I recognized that voice, it was definitely Brax. I felt someone else start to squeeze my other hand and shine a light in my eyes.

"Casey if you can hear me squeeze my hand." The British voice said.

I don't know why I did it but I managed to squeeze the hand. I heard cheers all around me. What was going on? I wanted to gag with this thick tube down my throat, but that didn't last long when I felt it being removed from my mouth and a mask placed over my nose.

"I knew I felt him squeeze my hand while I was talking to him." I heard Brax beam.

"Well the good news is, is that Casey's reflexes are almost back to normal. We still have to wait for him to fully wake up to test the effects of the coma, but for now it's looking good." The British voice replied.

I felt someone stand over me and grab both my arms and I felt a small jolt of pain, then I remembered. My arms, they were covered in cuts. They could not find out about what I had been doing. I tried to pull away but this time it wasn't because I had no energy to move I was being held down.

"Casey mate wake up! Wake up!" I heard Brax yell and felt my arms being jerked.

Why was he doing this? Wake up from what?

"Brax please, Casey must wake up properly on his own time. If you rush them, someone who has been in a coma, their body cannot recover effectively and can lead to more damage." The British voice spoke.

Damage, what damage? I tried to wreck my brain back to what happened but I got nothing. Everything started to faze black and I could no longer sense what was around me.

When I started to feel again, I opened my eyes to the darkness of a small room. I realized where I was. I was in hospital. I shifted my head around as best I could and saw Heath and Kyle asleep on some chairs on one side of the room. I looked down towards my left side, and saw Brax sitting on a chair near my bed with his head resting down over my arm, asleep.

Why were they all here sleeping when they have their own lives? I couldn't understand it. Surely I wouldn't matter to them. I was a stranger to them and they were strangers to me.

My eyes adjusted further and I glanced down and noticed my arms were completely exposed, old and fresh cuts in plain sight for the world to see. Glancing again at the three people in my room I knew they had found out about my secret. No one could find out about what I did, no-one.

I pulled my arms away with all the strength that I had. I managed to hide my right arm under my blanket but my left was anchored down by Brax. My tugging caused him to shift and I gave a brief look in his eye as I saw him raise his head and look at me with a shocked smile on his face.

Part of me still wanted to believe he cared about me and that I was still his brother but the other part of me that fought was the reality.

* * *

><p><strong>NORMAL POV<strong>

Seeing Casey's eye open Brax quickly stood up, staring at his baby brother. Upon moving Casey quickly darted his arm under the blanket, covering up his marked body.

"Casey." Brax said with relief and rested his hand on Casey's head.

Heath and Kyle startled awake and rushed over, also staring at their brother.

"Hey mate. Glad to have you back." Kyle smiled at Casey and raced out the door to find Nate.

Nate returned and took note of Casey's vitals.

"How are you feeling Casey?" Nate asked.

"I don't remember anything. Why am I here?" Casey whispered.

"You had a serious accident and have been in a coma for almost a week. Can you tell me how may fingers I'm holding up?" Nate asked, holding up three fingers.

Casey blinked. "Um...Uh...Three." Casey groaned.

"Right."

"What does that mean? The kid can still count?" Heath asked agitated.

"It means so far Casey is showing no signs of brain damage and with his speech and muscle movement that indicated his body has a high chance of making a full recovery. Casey may be one of those miracle cases." Nate nodded.

"You serious mate?" Brax asked.

"Yeah. We will still be keeping a close eye on him for a few more days to make sure the complications do not occur post waking up, but it's looking up."

Kyle smiled at Casey. "That's great news." He beamed.

"Well I'll leave you boys to it. Just make sure you keep it quiet as Casey is still recovering."

Heath and Kyle gave a nod while Brax raised his eyebrow. Nate rubbed Casey's shoulder.

"Glad to see you coming through this Casey. I'll be back to check on you later."

Nate walked towards the door and Brax pushed the chair back he had been sitting on and followed Nate.

Brax tapped Nate's arm. "Nate."

Nate turned to look back at Brax. "Look thanks mate, for looking after Casey. It means a lot. I owe you one." Nate gave a nod.

"Thanks, but I was just doing my job."

Nate then left the room and Brax walked back to Casey's bedside where Heath and Kyle were talking to him gently. Casey however laid in the bed in shock as the three people around him rambled to him. He couldn't decipher whether he was taking in what was going on around him or he was more afraid of his self harm secret being exposed.

Heath and Brax were being hot headed with each other over Casey's recovery when Kyle interrupted.

"Guys, guys!" Kyle said firmly, trying to get their attention.

"What?" Heath snapped.

"Look." Kyle whispered.

Brax and Heath stared down at their baby brother who had fallen asleep.

"He looks so innocent and makes you wish this wasn't happening doesn't it?" Heath said.

"Yeah he does. He's been through so much." Brax ran his hand over Casey's hair and noticed he had covered himself up completely.

Kyle sat back down. "Are you both staying here again tonight?" Kyle asked.

"Yeah." Brax replied.

"I might go back home for a bit and fill Bianca in on what's going on. You okay with that big fella?" Heath asked and received an approved wave from his brother.

"How about you? You staying?" Brax asked Kyle.

"Yeah. I have a shift in the morning but I'll stay for awhile."

Heath raised his eyebrows and tapped Kyle on the shoulder. "I'll see you fellas tomorrow."

"Yeah see ya." Kyle replied.

"It's great news about Case isn't it?" Kyle said after Heath had left.

"Yeah." Brax replied solemnly.

"I thought you would be happy Case is gonna be okay?" Kyle questioned.

"I am, more than ever but now it's back to the realisation as to what got him here in the first place. I mean when he comes to terms with everything again what's stopping him from doing it again and next time not making it."

Kyle stood up and rested a hand on Brax's shoulder.

"That won't happen because you, Heath, or I won't let that happen." Kyle assured.

"I hope so. Thanks mate." Brax replied.


	22. You can't run from the truth

**Chapter 22 – You can't run from the truth**

**NORMAL POV**

The following morning Kyle left early to start his shift while Brax woke just before Kyle was about to leave.

"You off mate?" Brax asked in a tired tone.

"Yeah. Tell Case I'll see him soon." Kyle whispered and Brax nodded, glancing over at his sleeping brother.

Brax spent most of the morning watching his brother breathe on his own. Nate had taken Casey off the machines late last night when he found Casey to have gained most of his reflexes back.

Casey finally awoke around 12 noon. He looked around and noticed Brax giving him a weak smile.

"Hey mate, how you feeling?" Casey didn't answer but began to feel more vulnerable as he came further back into reality.

Casey pulled the sheets up tighter around his body, ashamed of what would be said about his self injury secret. The two sat in silence for a while before Casey spoke.

"Why are you here?"

"Huh?" Brax asked confused.

"Why are you here at the hospital with me?" Casey whispered.

Brax rested his hand over Casey's arm that was still under the blanket.

"I'm here because I care about you." Brax replied softly.

There it was the care word again. How could Brax care about someone who wasn't even his full brother? Casey looked away, wanting to believe what Brax had told him.

"Hey, you're not thinking of doubting that are you?" Brax asked firmly.

"No." Casey whispered.

Casey wandered off in his own thought, but was taken back when he felt his arm being pulled out from under the blanket. He wanted to retreat but Brax was far stronger than him and he lay defeated as Brax held his now exposed arm in his hand. Casey sighed.

"What's all this Case? Why didn't you talk to me or any of your brothers? Why'd you go and hurt yourself like this?" Brax questioned.

Casey tugged his arm, but Brax held it still, observing the injuries.

"Nah don't. I want you to talk to me about this Casey." Brax said firmly.

* * *

><p><strong>CASEY POV<strong>

Brax kept a firm gaze on me while he sat beside me holding my cut up arm. I wanted to get away from everything. My head was spinning. Brax wanted me to talk but how could I when I couldn't even explain what I was feeling. I don't know why I cut for, but it was just something that seemed to help me, but Brax wouldn't understand that.

"Casey? What's going on?" Brax asked.

I avoided his gaze, not wanting to talk about all this. What good would it do?

"Brax please just let it go. It's nothing okay." I replied.

I saw Brax shake his head and rub his hand over my injured arm.

"This is not nothing Case. This is serious stuff. Nate said people do this to themselves to have more control over what's going on in their lives or to punish themselves. Casey are you doing this to cope and punish yourself for knowing the truth about your father, because that is not your fault, do you hear me? You don't deserve to feel like you have to do this to yourself."

Brax's words somehow made sense but I still couldn't fully understand it. How could it not be my fault, it was about me!

I turned away and shifted in the bed. "I don't want to talk about it, so just leave it." I said abruptly.

"Case I can't do that." Brax replied softly.

I pulled my arm away from his grip and turned my back to him. "Case please don't shut me out." Brax begged.

"Brax just go okay! I don't want to talk about it! It's not your problem!" I shouted with all my energy as I felt myself getting upset again.

All this talk about my injuries made me itch, I needed to do more. Brax rubbed my back and stood up from the chair.

"Get some rest, I'll be back later." He told me.

I heard the sadness in his voice and it made me feel guilty. Even though I didn't feel part of the family, I couldn't stop the shame of having someone hurting because of me.

* * *

><p><strong>NORMAL POV<strong>

With Brax out getting fresh air Casey sat up in bed, he needed to go to the bathroom. Carefully he stood up, slightly disoriented. Hanging onto his drip he wandered out of the room.

On his way to the bathroom Casey stopped when he noticed a tray of surgical supplies. The nurse that had been wheeling the trolley out to the washing section of the hospital had left the tray to assist in an emergency.

Casey laid eyes on a sharp scalpel blade. He couldn't? It wouldn't be right to steal from the hospital.

**CASEY'S POV**

I stared at the sharp blade on the trolley. I knew it was wrong to even be thinking about stealing it from the hospital but it looked so appealing and I was itching to have my fix. I felt sick to my stomach, I needed my release.

**NORMAL POV**

Casey quickly glanced around and grabbed the opened blade on the trolley and noticed another unopened blade so snatched that up too, quickly shoving it into the underwear below his gown. He had nowhere else to hide them. The nurse walked back to the trolley.

"Are you okay hun?" She asked sweetly.

Casey startled out of thought as his body was filled with anxiety over just stealing the scalpel blades and he was feeling dizzy.

"Ah yeah...um I was just on my way to the bathroom." Casey replied.

"Okay let me help you." The nurse guided Casey towards the bathroom then cleared away the trolley.

Casey held the blades in his hand as he sat in the bathroom. As much as he wanted to cut now there was no way he could jeopardize his stay in hospital and have everyone asking more questions. Casey put the blades back in his underwear and walked back to his room.

Brax had come in from outside and gasped in panic to see Casey's bed empty, he rushed through the hospital frantic.

"Where's my brother Casey Braxton gone? He's not in his room? Is he okay?" Brax breathed out.

A nurse behind the counter came around to reassure Brax when Casey walked back down the hall. Brax caught sight of his brother and ran up to him, grabbing him in his arms to help steady him.

"Casey what are you doing out of your bed? You're not well enough yet." Brax said in panic.

"I just went to the toilet. I'm fine." Casey groaned, he just wanted to be left alone. It was just him now dealing with his life.

Brax sighed. "You had me worried mate, when I didn't see you in ya room."

Brax helped Casey back into the bed. "Thanks." Casey whispered and twitched as he felt the foil of the blade digging into his hip. It wasn't the most comfortable place to hide his new blades but he had no choice.

Heath and Kyle came into the hospital after their shifts had finished and saw Casey sitting up in bed eating some hospital food.

"Hey ya Case." Heath greeted.

"How are you feeling?" Kyle asked.

"Fine." Casey groaned and shifted further under the blanket, making it awkward to eat his food, but he didn't want his brother's staring at his injures and judging him.

"I bet that horrible hospital gunk ain't making ya feel any better. I bet you could do with an all ingredient special pizza, huh?" Heath laughed as he gently punched Casey's arm, but Casey just grunted.

Heath raised his eyebrows and glanced at Brax who shrugged, giving a head nod to follow him out of the room.

"Be back in a sec Case." Brax said and left, Heath following.

Kyle stayed in the room and sat next to Casey's bed. "Won't it be good when you can get out of this place Case, spend some time in your own bed." Kyle smiled, only to have Casey ignore him.

"You're tough Case. You can get through this."

Casey had finished his food and tried to push the tray away, whilst hiding his body as best he could. Kyle moved the tray away for Casey and gave him a weak smile.

"Casey you don't have to hide from us. We know you've cut yourself. It's nothing to be ashamed about. We're your brothers. We care about you not what you do." Kyle comforted as he gently reached his arm out to touch Casey's arm.

* * *

><p><strong>CASEY'S POV<strong>

Go away Kyle and leave me alone. I just want everyone to stop mentioning that brother word and not draw attention to my wounds. I feel so distressed and part of me wants to cry but I don't have the feeling inside to do so.

I clench and wipe my fists under my sheets as I feel the urge inside me. I know why I am in hospital now. Everything about my life is haunting me again. I cannot deal with this. No-one can understand what I'm going through. No-one.

**NORMAL POV **

Brax was outside the room telling Heath how Casey had walked out of his room. "Wow, I didn't think the kid was ready for that. That's a good sign though right?" Heath said.

"Yeah I guess, but he was still pushing me away telling me he was fine. He might have gotten through this, but we've got a long way to go."

Nate walked up to them. "I have some news on Casey's progress. The nurse told me he got up and wandered to the bathroom before."

"Yeah." Brax replied.

"Well from what I can see, Casey has made excellent progress and should be right to go home tomorrow." Nate said.

"That's great!" Heath replied.

"However I am still concerned about his frame of mind and his self injury and I do recommend you reconsider the option of me organizing a counselor for him."

"Is that really gonna help him? I mean talking to a shrink ain't gonna change what's happened." Heath said as a matter of fact.

"Well no, but it might help him deal with what he is feeling." Nate explained.

Brax waved him off. "It's fine. I'll deal with it."

Nate sighed. "Okay if you're sure."

Brax and Heath followed Nate into Casey's room and Kyle had stopped talking to Casey.

"Hi Casey. I have some good news, you are fine to go home tomorrow morning." Casey nodded not giving any response it wasn't like it was going to change anything for him.

Kyle gave Casey's upper arm a rub and smiled at him. "It'll be great to have you back home again Case." Kyle said then shrugged at his older brothers when Casey didn't reply.

Kyle looked at his watch. "Look I have to get to work I can't ask the guys to cover another shift, it's good to see you up and about Case. I'll see you later."

"See ya mate." Brax and Heath fare-welled as Kyle left the room.

"Yeah I better do the same. See ya squirt." Heath waved at Casey and left.

Brax sat down next to Casey who was staring at his sheet. "What ya thinking Case?" Brax asked.

"It's nothing." Brax didn't want to push Casey anymore so stood up and rested his hand around his brother's neck briefly before pulling away.

"I'm gonna go home and get you some clothes and things ready for tomorrow. You gonna be alright Case?" Brax asked and Casey nodded.

"Okay, I'll be back soon." Brax then walked out the door and before closing the door took one last glance at his fragile baby brother and sighed.


	23. Home

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Thank you all who are continuing to support this story and to guest reviewer, ****Sandy, ****Thank you for the amazing comment on my writing. I appreciate it so much. **

**Enjoy and please review.**

**Chapter 23 – Home**

**NORMAL POV**

The next day Brax had come to pick Casey up from the hospital, he was still a little weak but well enough to manage at home. Brax helped Casey out of the bed and handed him the clothes he had brought back with him last night.

"Thanks." Casey mumbled.

Brax tried not to draw attention to Casey's injured arms and went to help steady him while he dressed.

"Brax can you go I want to dress by myself, I don't need your help." Casey whispered.

Brax gave a nod and let go of Casey's arm. Brax couldn't help worrying over his baby brother it was like he was just a little kid again.

"Sure...sure Case. I'll be just outside."

**CASEY'S POV**

I watched Brax leave the room and I sat back down on the bed pulling on my pants and shirt that Brax had given me. I dug into my wallet and pulled out the scalpel blades. I was able to hide them in there after it became too uncomfortable in my underwear, slipping the blades into the pockets of my pants I finished getting dressed.

I couldn't wait to get out of the hospital with all the nurses and doctors staring at me all the time. Who are they to judge? But then I didn't want to go back home either. I still didn't know where I belonged.

**NORMAL POV**

The entire way home Casey said nothing just sat in the passenger side of Brax's Ute while Brax drove home from the hospital. Brax kept glancing over at Casey, worry written all over his face. Brax pulled up in the driveway and saw Kyle and Heath standing in the doorway, ready to welcome their brother home.

"Hey Case, it's great to have you home." Heath smiled and tapped his brother on the back.

Kyle smiled at Casey too, happy he was home. "How ya feeling Case?" Kyle asked.

"Tired." Casey replied.

Brax kept a hand on his brother's back until they got in the house where Casey then immediately headed for his room.

"Casey where ya going?" Brax asked.

"I'm just gonna go lay down for awhile. I'll be fine." Casey replied sadly.

"Well okay, just yell if you need anything." Brax said.

"He still not talking?" Heath asked once Casey had left the room.

"Nup, but we need to do something to make sure he isn't left alone at any time. I don't want him taking a chance to try and top himself again." Heath and Kyle nodded.

"Yeah of course, we can all work our shifts around it." Kyle stated.

"Good." Brax replied and flopped down on the couch, he felt so relieved to finally be sitting on something other than a hard hospital chair. He had fallen asleep but was woken up several hours later by a loud knock at the door.

As promised Heath had contacted Cheryl to let her know Casey had arrived home. Brax groaned. Kyle stood up from the kitchen table to answer the door.

"Cheryl?" Kyle questioned.

"Ark, move out of the way you wasted spawn." Cheryl said rudely.

Kyle stared at Cheryl unimpressed as she pushed through the door. Brax rolled his eyes and groaned again he was not in the mood for this. Brax glared at Kyle.

"Hey don't look at me. It wasn't me this time." Kyle protested.

Heath walked in from outside and noticed Cheryl had stepped inside. "Mum!"

"Urg." Cheryl slurred and Heath stood back in shock that Cheryl was drunk, if he had known that, he never would have contacted her.

"Darryl! Darryl!" Cheryl slurred.

"Mum what are you doing here? You're drunk!" Brax said.

"I'm here to see my baby Darryl. Where is he? I wanna see him!" Her voice got louder as she became more adamant on seeing her youngest son.

"Mrs Braxton, Casey just came home from the hospital this morning, maybe you should let him settle in first." Kyle suggested.

Cheryl glared at him. "Who are you to tell me when I should see my son? You're nothing but Danny's damaged goods." She slurred.

Kyle huffed and walked out of the room, he wasn't going to be insulted.

"Mum! You had no right to say that to Kyle. He is our family too." Brax snapped and Cheryl grunted.

"Look Mum, Casey's in his room resting. He doesn't need to see you now." Brax said.

Cheryl turned towards the hallway and saw Casey standing and staring.

"Mate, how you feeling?" Brax asked.

Cheryl stormed up to Casey. "You have some serious explaining to do!" She slurred, pointing her finger at Casey.

Casey glared at his mother then at Brax. "What is she doing here? I thought I made it clear I wanted nothing to do with you!" Casey snapped, his head spinning with the memories.

Cheryl glared at Casey. "Don't you dare speak to your mother like that! How do you think it felt for me knowing you were in that hospital because of your stupid and selfish idea to kill yourself?" Cheryl slurred, forcing Casey to withdraw.

"Mum stop it! Get out!" Brax yelled.

"Mum that's enough you're not thinking!" Heath added but Cheryl ignored them both.

"Get out!" Casey screamed. He couldn't take much more of this.

Cheryl then grabbed one of Casey's arms and ripped up his sleeve. "Not to mention these disgusting scars and cuts all over your arms! You should be ashamed of yourself!" Cheryl slapped the inside of Casey's arm and let it go.

Casey couldn't feel any more ashamed then what he did right then, his vulnerable self harm secret, his important way to cope was being thrown against him to make him more ashamed of himself and broken.

He was frozen to his spot now, thoughts racing through his head as he fought the urge to cry from the overwhelming feeling.

"You really hurt me Casey! I hope you're happy!" Cheryl yelled.

Casey blinked out of thought.

"Mum! Shut up and get the hell out of my house now!" Brax yelled, having had enough of her taunting Casey and seeing how hurt his baby brother was.

Casey stared at Brax, Heath, and Cheryl and ran off to his room.

"Yeah run off from ya problems, that'll get ya no-where in life!" Cheryl yelled.

"Mum if you don't get out of my house now, I'll call the cops!" Brax threatened.

He wasn't one to be so disrespectful to his mother but she left him no choice, Casey comes first in his mind and she really caused problems.

Casey almost bumped into Kyle as he ran past to his room.

"Case! Case are you okay?" Kyle called but Casey ignored him and just slammed his bedroom door.

Kyle left walking back out into the living room staring at everyone. Cheryl glared at Brax.

"Fine Darryl, but don't none of ya come crying ta me to give that boy sympathy, he doesn't have to do those disgusting things he had a choice."

Cheryl stumbled out of the house and Brax angrily slammed the door shut.

"Brax?" Kyle asked, but Brax ignored him and ran straight down to Casey's room and went to open it, only to find it locked.

Brax immediately panicked, thinking Casey had attempted to end his life again. Brax banged on the door. "Casey! Casey! Open this door now! Casey!"


	24. An injury too far

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**In response to Guest review, I'd like to do cover images but I'm not real techno savvy to design one, so sorry about that. Thanks everyone for your support! **

***Warning for this chapter, it is quite graphic so anyone that deals with self harm please be safe. **

**Chapter 24 – An injury too far **

**CASEY'S POV**

As soon as Brax and I got home from the hospital all I wanted to do was crawl away back out of the universe. I walked into my bedroom and closed the door and lay down on my bed. I pulled the scalpel blades out of my pocket and played with them in my hand.

My eyes shut as I fell into a state of thought. The sick feeling rose in my stomach again. I didn't know what to think. I was beginning to remember the events of what happened before I went into hospital and the urge to cut grew stronger by the minute. My thoughts were interrupted when I heard yelling at the front door.

I got up and opened my door a crack to hear Mum yelling to see me. I could tell she was plastered drunk. I watched as Kyle stormed out of the room after Mum had a go at him. I walked out and stared at Brax and Mum. I didn't expect Mum to come at me yelling. I was angry that she was even here. I didn't want to see her and I made sure they knew it too.

Mum was yelling at how selfish and stupid I was to try and attempt to kill myself. What the hell would she know! It was her fault I'm in this mess. I couldn't stand her being around me so I yelled at her to get out! My head was spinning and I felt so sick and overwhelmed. I couldn't deal with this!

I felt even sicker when Mum grabbed my arm and ripped up my sleeve, revealing my injuries, telling me I should be ashamed and how disgusting it is too see. I already know that! I'm already so ashamed at who I am. I didn't need a constant reminder of how screwed up I was and I didn't need everyone criticising my injuries. They were my secret and my salvation! I could not take it anymore my world was spinning around me.

I felt so exposed. I had to get out. I barely heard Brax yell at Mum to get out when I ran off, ignoring Kyle as he mumbled something to me. I had to get to the safety of my room. I needed to cut and I needed to do it now!

I was shaking inside full of emotion that needed to be released. I fumbled through my draw where I had hid the scalpel blades and pulled out the open one that I had stolen off the dirty trolley. Glancing at the large blade and breathing heavily I ripped up the leg of my shorts and dragged the blade hard across the middle of my right thigh.

I gasped at the intensity of the pain that ran through my thigh and latched my hand over the cut. The feeling of relief started to run through me as my mind focused more on the cut and the pain then the real world, my breathing slowed to heavy relieved gasps.

I removed my hand away from my leg, my hand was covered in blood, and I had blood running down my leg at a rapid rate. Grabbing an old shirt I wiped away the blood from my hand and leg. At this time I was able to notice the severity of the cut.

"Damn it."

I had pressed so hard without thinking and split the skin in what looked like the top layers of the subcutaneous layer, one more slice and it would have hit the muscle layer. It would not stop bleeding and it was wide and deep. I felt myself begin to panic, this was the worst I had ever done.

My heart jumped when I heard the rattle of my door followed by Brax's loud voice. "Casey! Casey! Open this door now! Casey!"

I hurried to grab my bandaging material and wrapped up my leg. I still had blood on my leg and couldn't risk anyone seeing what I had done so quickly changed into some black pants. Panicking I hid all the evidence as I knew if I didn't open my door Brax would break it down at any minute and discover what I had done.

Satisfied I had everything hidden, I breathed heavily and unlocked the door and opened it to see a worried Brax.

"Casey" He sighed looking at me.

"Sorry Brax". I said calmly.

I noticed Brax glance around my room. "Are you alright?" He asked me.

I had since settled from my panic and begun to feel better. I felt calmed by the throbbing pain pumping on my thigh, knowing I had released the emotion overtaking me. Everything was going to be okay.

"Yeah, just a bit shocked." I replied quietly and gave Brax a small smile.

**BRAX'S POV**

I stared at my brother in the eye trying to decipher whether he was lying or not. Seeing him withdraw after Mum said such horrible things to him and finding his room silent with the door locked scared the life out of me. I'd almost lost him after his last attempt that landed him in the hospital, there was no way I was letting Casey go that far again. I would put my life on the line to make sure he was okay.

I gave a sigh, trusting Casey's words. "Alright, but you let me know if you don't feel okay. I'm here for you to talk to at any time." I emphasized.

Casey just nodded. "Thanks Brax, but I'm really tired so I'm just gonna lie down." Casey told me, but something in his voice still seemed distant.

I just wish he would open up and tell me what's going through his mind and realise he's not alone, but Nate was right I couldn't push it otherwise it could cause Casey to shut down more.

Casey stepped back towards his bed. "Case?" I questioned. "Just do me a favor will ya? Don't lock your door. I'm worried about you mate."

Casey turned away before giving a nod. I closed the door slightly but not all the way and walked back out into the living room to where Heath was.

**NORMAL POV**

Heath looked at Brax as he entered the living room again. "Is Case okay?" Heath asked.

Brax shrugged. "I suppose so."

"I can't believe Mum would come here like that. If I had known she had been drinking I never would have told her about Case being home." Heath explained.

Brax sighed, sitting down on the lounge. "It's not your fault mate, you were only doing what you said, and letting her know."

Heath shrugged. Brax turned to Kyle. "Sorry you had to be part of that mate, Mum shouldn't have spoken to you the way she did, but she's never been one for compliments." Brax explained.

"Doesn't matter." Kyle shrugged. He had developed a tough skin after his upbringing and learned to brush off such remarks.

"This isn't going to be easy is it?" Heath asked and Brax sighed. "Nup."

Casey stayed in his bedroom for the rest of the afternoon and slept through until late afternoon the following day. Kyle, Brax, and Heath were in the kitchen and had left their brother to rest while they got on with their day.

"It's almost noon, you think the kid's okay?" Heath questioned, concerned as to why his brother had not gotten up yet.

"He was still sleeping the last time I went past his bedroom" Kyle replied.

"I guess he does need his rest after what happened yesterday with Mum and just coming out of hospital." Brax said.

"Hey big fella are you still taking the first shift in staying here? It's just that I promised to help Bianca with some stuff today." Heath asked.

"Yeah mate its fine. Kyle's got a shift on anyway so I'll stay here with Case."

Heath nodded and slapped Brax on the back as he headed out the door. "See ya."

"I better be on my way too." Kyle stated as he placed his empty glass on the sink.

Walking past Brax Kyle could see his brother lost in thought as Brax sat at the table fidgeting with his hands.

"Hey are you okay?" Kyle asked. Brax shook himself out of thought.

"Yeah." Brax replied sadly.

Kyle placed his hand on Brax's shoulder "We will get through this Brax."

Brax nodded and replied, "You better go." Kyle smiled and left, leaving Brax pondering on his worries.

* * *

><p><strong>BRAX'S POV<strong>

I couldn't help worrying about my baby brother, he was so vulnerable, and I felt useless that I couldn't fix this for him. He was my responsibility, I was meant to make everything okay in his life. Sighing I got up to check on him again. He was still covered over in his bed and for a brief moment I panicked that he wasn't breathing. I walked closer to his bed and relief ran over me as I saw his steady breathing.

"I don't know how, but I'm gonna make this right for you Case." I whispered.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard a knock at the door. I stood staring hard at Mum when I opened the door. What nerve she had coming here after yesterday.

"Darryl."

"Mum what are you doing here? Haven't you done enough damage?" I demanded, folding my arms.

"Darryl please let me in. I need to see my baby, how is he?" Cheryl pleaded.

I was taken aback how could she even come here acting like that after what she said to Casey yesterday?

"Is this our Mum talking or the Mum hung-over from an alcoholic binge wanting forgiveness for the horrible things she said?" I snapped.

Mum let out a sigh. "I deserved that. I know what I said yesterday was wrong and I'm not here to ask forgiveness. I just want to see Casey and make things right."

She was pleading now and the look on her face was worn out, but I wasn't going to let her hurt Casey again.

"Casey's still in bed. You really hurt him Mum and until he's ready or even wants to talk to you, I don't want you here or anywhere near him." I said, standing my ground.

"Darryl please..." Mum begged.

"No Mum. If you really loved Casey you would do the right thing and leave now. Let him have time to deal with this."

I watched Mum withdraw backwards as tears fell down her face. She gave a nod and agreed to my ultimatum.

"Darryl, just please tell me if anything bad happens to my baby again." I nodded giving my word.

"Yep. Goodbye Mum." I closed the door as she left.

**CASEY'S POV**

I had woken to the sounds of voices at the front door. Groaning I got out of bed and gently rubbed the throbbing pain in my thigh where I had cut. Without even looking I knew the bandage had stuck. I opened my bedroom door and heard Mum pleading with Brax to see me. I didn't know what to feel when I heard Brax telling her to leave and standing against her. It was like he was protecting me.

My heart kept telling me everything didn't matter, that Brax was still my brother but it was my mind racing and telling me otherwise, controlling all my feeling. I felt torn. When Brax closed the door I slowly walked into the living room.

"Hey Case, how are you feeling?" Brax greeted me in a quiet tone.

Something about the way he said it made me feel like he really cared how I was feeling, but it was wrong he shouldn't.

"You must have needed that rest hey, it's one o'clock in the afternoon."

"Yeah" I whispered, trying to gather my thoughts.

"You want me to make you something to eat?" Brax asked.

"No thanks I'm not hungry."

I couldn't think about eating, I had too much on my mind. I heard Brax give a sigh as he looked at me.

"Case you have to keep your strength up, you have just gotten out of hospital. Have something mate." Brax pushed.

"Fine, I'll just have a piece of vegemite toast, but I wanna take a shower first."

Brax nodded then I left to go to the bathroom for a shower.

As I got into the bathroom I unwrapped the bandage on my leg. I couldn't help but wince as the material stuck to the wound. My heart skipped a beat when I saw how deep and nasty the wound looked. The edges were inflamed and the wound itself looked dirty and was weeping. I realised I hadn't even cleaned it after I did it yesterday. I probably should have gotten stitches, but then that would have just healed what I had tried to release. No I needed this. The worse the cut was the longer the sense of relief I had that everything was okay.

As I took my shower and the water hit the open wound on my leg. I gasped in pain. The pain had intensified and shot through my entire body, I almost thought I was about to collapse as my legs shook. I breathed through the pain as best I could but it became more difficult as I became dizzy. Blood was running down my leg again.

I quickly finished up in the shower and got out placing my towel tightly around my leg. Re-bandaging my leg, I could feel the fatty tissue and tenderness of the wound. I had really cut myself good this time. I had something to make me forget my inner demons. I was pleased with my efforts.

I walked back into the kitchen to where Brax had already set up some toast for me.

"Thanks." I said quietly.

Brax just gave me a comforting smile and I wanted to cry. I hated him pretending he had to care about me.


	25. Missing

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Thank you all, for the influx of amazing reviews on my last chapter, it really meant a lot to me. **

**Enjoy :) **

**Chapter 25 - Missing**

**NORMAL POV**

A few days had passed and Casey still kept withdrawn in his bedroom not talking much to any of his brothers or eating much and as far as everyone was aware Casey was fine and just acting quiet.

It had come to Heath's turn to stay at the house with Casey while Kyle went to work and Brax also had to go into Angelo's to sort out some business with the books for a few hours.

"Make sure Case is okay today and call me if anything happens." Brax stated receiving a nod from Heath.

He knew Brax cared a lot about Casey but since having him home from the hospital Brax had stepped up his big brother protective mode.

"Righty-o bro." Heath replied.

"Heath I'm serious." Brax added with worry in his voice, he couldn't bear to leave Casey.

"It'll be fine Brax, don't worry. I won't let the squirt do anything stupid while you're gone." Heath reassured.

Brax nodded and followed Kyle out the door.

Casey had been laying on his bed thoughts racing through his head and the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach had come back. He glanced over at a photo he had on his dresser draw. It was a photo of Brax, Heath and himself at this place Brax had taken them camping, on a regular basis.

The photo had been taken the last time they went camping when Casey was thirteen. Brax had his arms around both his brothers and Heath was ruffling up Casey's hair but all three boys were laughing.

Casey got up from his bed and held the photo in his hand. He gripped the frame in anger as tears welled in his eyes. It was all wrong! Casey heard the front door close and peaked out his bedroom to have seen Heath go next door to his house, obviously picking something up he had forgotten.

"I have to get out of here!" Casey growled in anger.

Staring at the photo he threw it down on the ground, breaking the glass from the frame with a loud smash. Tears fell down his face as he bent down and pulled the picture off the ground.

"That's not my family! They never were." Casey choked out.

Casey was broken and torn apart, he couldn't stop his head from spinning, the voices in his head telling him his whole life was a lie that he didn't belong anywhere. If it wasn't for him, no-one would be dealing with his problems right now. It would be a better world without him.

Casey scrunched the photo up in his left hand, keeping it in his fist, and slammed his right hand down hard on the shattered glass before him.

"Arg! I can't take this anymore!" He sobbed as blood seeped from his cut up hand.

Casey quickly grabbed a cloth to wrap his hand and ran out the door of the house not turning back.

After running for what seemed like forever Casey leaned over huffing heavily and holding his injured hand to his throbbing thigh.

"Ah!" He moaned in pain.

The cut on his thigh had not been healing and had gotten worse each day, becoming more inflamed and what looked to be infected. Casey stood up and steadied himself as he wobbled on his feet feeling light headed, hot, and slightly nauseous.

Casey put this down to not having eaten that morning and using all the energy he had pounding the pavement to get to where he was. He was only a few blocks away from the old campsite Brax had taken him and Heath, the place the photo had been taken.

By the time Brax and Kyle had arrive home Heath was sitting on the couch flipping through a car magazine.

"Hey mate." Brax greeted.

"Hey." Heath greeted.

"How's Case?" Brax asked.

"Haven't heard a peep all day." Heath replied.

"Have you checked if he's alright?" Brax asked in a panic.

"Relax Brax, I'm sure Casey is fine." Kyle tried to reassure his older brother. Brax sighed.

"Casey?" Brax walked down to Casey's room and pushed open the door.

"Case?" Brax stared in shock at the empty room and shattered glass frame on the floor.

Kyle had followed Brax towards Casey's room to check on his little brother too and stood shocked.

"Heath!" Heath ran towards Brax. "What?"

"Where is he?" Brax demanded fear written all over his face.

Heath was as stunned as Brax and Kyle at the mess on Casey's floor and the emptiness of his room.

"You were meant to be watching him! He was here all day I swear! Except...I only left him for like five minutes..."

"You left him! Heath how could you be so stupid! You know it only takes a few minutes for him to go and do something!" Brax yelled.

"Brax calm down, we'll find him." Kyle tried to reassure.

"Don't think you're the only one worried about him Darryl!" Heath snapped back.

He only ever called Brax by his real name when he was really fired up about something.

"He went on my watch! How do you think I feel if he's done something? I'll never forgive myself knowing I had dibs in killing my little brother!" Heath yelled.

Brax glared at Heath, having stopped his urge to punch his brother.

"Guys enough! Fighting isn't going to help us find Casey! Look!" Kyle yelled and pointed to the floor.

Brax and Heath stared at the broken pieces of the glass frame.

"Damn it!" Brax exclaimed, running his hand through his hair.

"The kid's gone and cut himself again." Heath added, worry coming through his voice.

"We gotta find him!" Brax stated and pushed out of the room.

* * *

><p><strong>BRAX'S POV<strong>

I turned back to stare at my brothers. I was so scared at losing my brother again.

"Heath go and check around the beaches and surf club. Kyle you check around the town and the gym and Heath can you ask Bianca to keep a watch out if he comes back."

Heath nodded. "What about you?" Kyle asked.

I shrugged. "I don't know. I'm just gonna go anywhere until I find him."

Kyle and Heath ran off out the door in search for Casey.

I whipped out my phone and called Casey's number. I gave a frustrated sigh when it went to message bank. I was waiting for his usual cheerful 'Hi you've reached Casey, leave a message and I'll get back to you,' but instead my heart pounded when I heard the voice on Casey's phone.

'Hi this is...I don't know who I am...Don't bother to leave a message because I won't be getting back to you.' The voice was cold and had no emotion to it.

"Casey! Damn it Casey! Where the hell are you? Stop messing with us mate and get home or let us know where you are...If you're okay...Please." I was left with the beeping of the end of the message.

I gripped my phone in my hand frustrated, tearing my mind as to where Casey could be and if he was okay. I turned back to look in his room and analyzed the broken frame on the floor, then it hit me, I think I knew where Casey might have gone.

I grabbed my car keys and drove as fast as I could until I reached a few blocks away at the old campsite I had taken my brothers so many times before. This was a long-shot, but it was the only chance I had.

As soon as I had parked the car I raced out, running down the path of the bush. It had been a while since we had been camping and the place had changed, it was overgrown with sticks and brambles everywhere making it difficult to make my way through.

"Casey! Casey!" I yelled, glancing all around me for any sight of my brother.


	26. Helping hand

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing. :D**

**For guest, Sandy**** as I can't thank you personally in a PM, your lovely review meant a lot and I agree, I would have loved to have seen something like this be played out in an episode. :)**

**Chapter 26 – Helping hand**

**CASEY'S POV**

I stood against the edge of the cliff staring down into the rocks below. Wondering what it would be like to really die. All I had to do was make one move, one decision and I wouldn't have this immense world of pain that I can't escape from, caving down on me.

I opened my fist with the scrunched up photo and stared at it with tears in my eyes as more thoughts ran through my head pushing me to make my move to freedom. My body was shaking and I didn't know what to do. I wanted to collapse from everything crushing me. I was so hurt, so angry. I just...I have to stop all this!

**BRAX'S POV**

It felt like hours that I had been searching for Casey, but looking at my watch it had only been 20 minutes. I was beginning to feel like I was at a lost cause and wasting valuable time, until I pushed my way through some more bushes that were leading up to the cliffs edge and to my horror I saw my fragile baby brother standing against the ledge.

I wanted nothing more than to run up and grab him in my arms, and shake him senseless for being stupid, but I knew better, I had to approach this carefully or I really could lose him this time. I was terrified. I didn't know what to do as I watched him, his body tense and he was fidgeting in a distressed state. I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"Case?" I called out quietly, careful not to startle him in case he fell.

Casey froze before he turned to me. I could see tears fall down his face.

"What do you want?" He yelled.

"Case what are you doing? Come away from there." I said calmly.

Casey turned away, staring down over the cliff.

"Casey please, just get away from there and we can talk yeah?" I said with a bit more sternness in my voice.

I didn't know how more patient I could be right now. He was scaring the life out of me. Casey turned to face me.

"Talk? What is talking going to do Brax? It's not going to change anything! I'm sick of this! All this! I just..."

"Casey I'm worried about you!" I said a bit more loudly.

"Well don't be! I'm not your problem anymore!" Casey let out a loud frustrated yell.

I could tell he was angry and hurt but how could he think he wasn't my problem to worry about?

**NORMAL POV**

Brax watched as Casey shifted his feet near the edge and rocks fell down the cliff. Brax ran full speed towards his brother, only to have Casey steady himself, but only just. Casey's vision was becoming blurry and his self inflicted cut on his leg was throbbing in pain it made his legs weak.

Brax's heart pumped hard at the shock and he glared at Casey, he just couldn't be patient anymore, Casey was unsteady and almost falling from the cliff.

"Casey get here!" Brax ordered in a harsh tone and reached over grabbing his brother's upper arm and yanked him away from the edge.

Casey struggled against his brother and pushed Brax off him.

"Get off me!" Casey shouted.

"Casey listen to me!" Brax snapped.

"No! I don't need to listen to you! Just leave me alone! It doesn't matter anymore!" Casey yelled in distress.

"What are you talking about?" Brax yelled back.

"This!" Casey tossed the photo he had in his hand towards Brax.

Brax bent down to pick up the scrunched photo from the ground.

"You're not my brother! You never were! Don't you understand that? I don't belong anywhere anymore!" Casey shouted.

"Casey, that is not true! You will always be Heath's, Kyle's and my little brother and you belong at home with us! Now stop all this and come on!" Brax said firmly.

Casey turned away sobbing. "How can you say that? I don't even know you! ...I just can't so just...shut up! Shut up!" Casey yelled.

"No Casey! Explain it to me! Tell me what I can do to help you!" Brax yelled.

"No! No! I..." Casey started to yell back at Brax but became wobbly and stumbled, grabbing his thigh in a yell.

Brax ran to grab him. "Woah easy Case. What's wrong?" Brax asked concerned.

"Nothing." Casey replied in a painful groan. Brax stared at Casey's hold on his thigh.

"Casey what's wrong?" Brax asked again and tried to move Casey's hand out of the way only for Casey to push Brax away and hold his thigh.

Brax grew more concerned that Casey was hiding something. Brax shoved Casey's hand away from his leg long enough to get the chance to push up the material of his shorts. Brax gasped when he saw the state of Casey's thigh.

"Geez! Casey we have to get you to the hospital." Brax looked at his brother with worry in his eyes and supported him.

"No I'm not going to hospital again." Casey moaned.

"I'm not arguing Casey! I'm taking you to the hospital. Now move!" Brax ordered and helped his brother walk back to the car.

**BRAX'S POV**

I couldn't believe that Casey was feet away from me, yelling at me that he wasn't part of the family anymore. It shocked me he actually believed that! I saw him stumble when he was getting too worked up, he really didn't look well at all, and when I grabbed him to steady him, worry ran through me as he groaned in pain holding his wrapped up hand over his leg.

As soon as I got sight of what was on Casey's thigh, I knew it was serious and then he tried to fight against me that he didn't want it seen to at the hospital. By the state of that I was not going to let that happen. I hated my baby brother hurting himself like this. It was killing me. My worry became fueled with anger and I shoved him back towards my car, supporting him the entire way.


	27. Infection

**Chapter 27 – Infection**

**NORMAL POV**

Brax supported Casey through the doors of the hospital where they ran into Nate.

"Casey?" Nate queried and glanced at the un-well Casey. "What happened?" Nate asked.

"Casey's injured his hand and has cut his leg real bad. It's a mess." Brax explained, receiving a scowl from Casey.

"I'm fine! I don't need to be here!" Casey yelled as he wobbled.

"I'll be the judge of that. Come right this way."

Nate walked towards one of the hospital rooms and Brax still having a tight grip on Casey, gently forced Casey into the room. Casey huffed as he sat on the bed. Nate took the shirt away from Casey's hand and having a quick look, saw a few small cuts. Nate flushed out the wounds and pulled out any remaining glass before continuing.

"Alright, let's take a look at this cut on your leg shall we?" Nate said.

Casey turned away he did not want his injury being known to everyone again.

"It's on his right thigh." Brax spoke firmly.

Nate put on some new gloves and went to touch Casey's leg only to have Casey shift away.

"It's fine!" Casey snapped.

"From what I saw of that wound on your leg you are not fine Casey!" Brax snapped.

"Brax just calm down." Nate replied softly and rolled up the material of Casey's shorts.

Nate pulled away some of the bandaging and gave a scowl. "Arg, without even properly examining that I can tell you now that wound is deeply infected."

Nate continued to pull the rest of the bandaging off, Casey wincing as it pulled at the skin. Nate examined the wound further before coming to his conclusion.

"Casey this wound has become heavily infected with Staph bacteria. If left untreated like you had been, it would eventually spread through your system, leading to further complications. Now you wanna tell me how this happened?" Nate questioned firmly.

"No, so can we just leave it. Do what you have to do so I can go." Casey replied harshly.

Nate sighed and continued to clean the wound on Casey's leg before applying some ointment and more bandaging. Removing his gloves and cleaning up his equipment. Nate stared at Casey.

"Casey, I'm going to be putting you on a course of antibiotics for your wound which I expect you to adhere to otherwise that Staph infection will get worse."

Casey huffed. "He will." Brax replied sternly as he glared at his brother.

Nate took more of Casey's vitals. "It seems you have a bit of a fever too, that would explain your unsteadiness. I'll have to give you something for that too." Nate explained.

Nate then encouraged Brax outside the room. Brax gave a questioning look. "Something wrong?" Brax asked.

"Examining the cut on Casey's thigh it appeared to have been perfectly incised." Nate explained.

"What does that mean?" Brax questioned.

"It means it wasn't done with a regular blade. Only a cutting blade could make a wound like that...A scalpel blade." Nate continued.

"How would he have gotten something like that?" Brax asked and Nate shrugged.

"But I would like to find out."

Nate wandered into the pharmacy of the hospital to get Casey's medication while Brax walked back into the room, staring at Casey with his arms folded.

"You going to explain to me why you done that?"

Casey stared at Brax, ignoring him. "Casey you could have gotten real sick because of hurting yourself! Nate said..."

"So what!" Casey snapped back.

Before Brax could yell back Nate walked back into the room to explain the medication, giving Brax a chance to calm down.

"Now take these twice a day for two weeks then if anything gets worse come straight back into the hospital. Okay Casey?" Nate informed.

"Yup." Casey replied. He just wanted to get out of there.

Nate sighed. "Casey, I know you are going through a rough time right now, but I must urge you to talk to someone, it will help you deal with what you are feeling."

"I'm not talking to some stranger about my problems! I'm dealing just fine!"

Brax huffed and ran his hand through his hair. "Casey you are not dealing with this! You need to start talking to us mate...to someone." Brax spoke.

"None of you can force me to talk to anyone. I'm old enough to make my own choice!" Casey yelled.

"You're right, I can't force you to talk to a counselor but if you want me to organize someone..."

"I don't okay!" Casey yelled.

"Casey if you keep harming yourself like this things are just going to get worse, now you've been admitted into hospital 3 times already now if you are admitted again you won't have no choice in the matter and I will admit you to a psychiatric unit for counseling and there you will not be released until you prove you can manage appropriately." Nate explained.

"I said I don't need any of that! So just leave me alone! Now are we done?" Casey snapped.

Nate nodded and gave a weak smile at Brax before he left.


	28. Catalyst

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Thank you so much for all the lovely reviews and for everyone reading!**

**Enjoy this chapter, I think it shows Brax's determination to stand by Casey well. **

**Chapter 28- Catalyst**

**CASEY'S POV**

After Brax and I left the hospital there was nothing but silence the entire drive home. I was mad Brax had come for me at the cliff's edge. Why couldn't he just mind his own business? I did not want a doctor telling me something was wrong with what I was doing.

Cutting helps me cope with the troubles of my new life and I just wish everyone would leave me alone and accept that. If I want to cut up my own body that should be my choice, after all I deserved to have one thing in my life that I can rely on and control.

I can't believe Brax and Doctor Cooper were trying to get me to talk to some shrink, like I was crazy or something then saying they would force me to get counseling next time! I'm sick of everyone pushing me to talk. Talking wasn't going to bring back the life I once had, the life where I knew I had three older brothers, a mother who didn't lie to her son and a life without my thoughts draining every ounce of energy my body had.

I guess finding out I had an infection from the wound on my thigh did scare me a little but knowing I had made lasting damage made my life feel just that bit easier. It made me feel stronger. Giving me a feeling that no-one could hurt me.

I looked over to Brax and he was concentrating on the road but his face told otherwise. I could tell he wasn't happy he usually gets this quiet when he's annoyed or upset about something.

**NORMAL POV**

Brax pulled into the driveway of the Braxton house and got out of the car. As Casey got out of the car Brax grabbed his upper arm and pulled him inside. Heath and Kyle were sitting inside at the kitchen table talking. Brax had notified them as soon as he had taken Casey to hospital.

"Hey Case." Kyle greeted. Heath just stared. He was concerned but angry at the same time.

Brax and Casey just ignored them as Brax simply dragged Casey into his bedroom angrily, leaving Heath and Kyle giving each other quizzical looks as to what was going on.

When inside Casey's room Brax released his grip on his brother's arm and Casey turned to glare at him.

"Give it to me!" Brax yelled.

"I don't know what you're talking about so get out of my room!" Casey snapped back.

"I ain't arguing with you Casey. Give me what you used to cut your leg with and give it to me now!" Brax yelled.

"No! It's mine and you can't tell me what to do! You're not even my brother!" Casey yelled and this comment kept hitting a nerve for Brax as he realised what Casey was thinking.

"Casey I am giving you one chance to give me your damn cutting implement before I tear this room apart to find it!" Brax yelled and Casey just glared at him, becoming angrier.

Brax made a move to start looking through Casey's draws.

"Don't!" Casey yelled, trying to pull his brother away from his stuff, but it was no use, Brax was determined to get that blade.

He did not want Casey hurting himself anymore and after hearing what Nate said at the hospital about Casey having to go into psychiatric care really hurt him.

"Brax! Stop it!" Casey yelled.

Brax glared at his brother. "No Casey! I cannot stand by and watch you hurt yourself again and risk your life!"

Casey was becoming overwhelmed with anger and the need to have control over his life when Brax was still ordering him around.

Before he realised what happened Casey took a swing at Brax and punched him hard in the jaw, causing Brax to stumble backwards. Brax took a moment to compose himself, holding his jaw where he had been hit and staring at Casey, concern filling his eyes.

"Casey, give me what you use to cut with now." Brax said in a softer tone.

Still in shock at what he did Casey pulled out his dirty blade from his draw, keeping his unopened blade hidden and held it in his hands.

Brax held out his hand. "Give it here." He ordered in a quiet tone.

Casey looked shamefully at Brax and reluctantly handed over his blade. "You have it. Now get out." Casey said, turning away from Brax.

Brax nodded and left his brother's room in disbelief at what had just happened. Casey had never hit him or had even tried to hit him. Brax walked back into the kitchen to where Kyle and Heath were still sitting.

"Hey mate what happened? We heard yelling and a loud crash." Heath said.

"Yeah we were going to come down and see what was going on but with you so determined to take Casey into his room when you came home we figured you had it all sorted." Kyle added.

"Hmph" Brax replied as he stared at the blade in his hand and went to sit down at the table.

"So what happened at the hospital? Where did you find Casey?" Heath asked.

Brax didn't say anything and that's when Heath noticed Brax's bruised jaw.

"Geez mate what happened to you?" Heath asked in surprise.

"Casey punched me." Brax replied.

"What? That kid's never hurt a fly, what is going through his head?" Heath was shocked that his baby brother could turn so violent.

"I shouldn't have pushed him." Brax whispered.

"Yeah but you're worried about him." Kyle reassured, receiving a shrug from Brax.

"Hey what's that in your hand?" Heath asked.

Brax put the scalpel blade on the table. "This is what Casey has used to cut himself with. After I found him at the campsite on the cliff's edge, he was all dazed and had a fever. When we went to the hospital it was discovered this nasty wound on his leg that he had cut with this blade had been infected with Staph bacteria."

Heath and Kyle sat wide-eyed.

"It's like I don't even know him no more. He yelled at me that I wasn't even his brother." Brax said quietly, not leaving his eyes off the blade.

Brax gave a heavy sigh and placed the blade down on the table, getting up to walk out of the house.

"Where are you going?" Kyle asked as Heath sat staring at the blade, taking it all in.

"I just have to get some fresh air. Look after Casey for me." Brax whispered.

"Course." Kyle replied.

* * *

><p><strong>HEATH POV<strong>

I didn't know what to think when Brax told Kyle and me about finding Casey at our old campsite and on a cliff none the less. I kept trying to get the picture out of my head about my little brother being moments away from the end had Brax not found him in time.

On the outer surface I was angry and confused at what was happening to Casey but inside I felt I was partially to blame. If I had just watched him that little bit closer and not left the house to get those stupid magazines none of this would have happened.

I just wish we could help Case through whatever it is that is going through his head, like the family that we are.

**KYLE POV**

I watched Heath paced the floor near the kitchen table, I could tell he was feeling agitated over Brax's news. I couldn't believe what had happened either. Seeing Brax falter like that surprised me and to see him more concerned over Casey's mental welfare than the punch he had received just proved how much family meant to him.

I know it's a tough road for people in Case's situation but I hated just standing by and watching my little brother be destroyed like this. It was scary never knowing if he would make a wrong move or attempt to take his own life and being helpless about it. I sighed and stared up at Heath,

"Are you okay?" I asked.

Heath gave a huff and stared back at me. "I just can't stop thinking this is partially my fault ya know...He took off on my watch and something bad could have happened to him, something bad did happen." Heath shook his head.

"Come on Heath, you know as well as I do that this isn't your fault. I know it's hard to fully understand but Casey's mind frame just isn't in a good place right now and nothing any of us do is going to change what Casey decides to do. I don't like it either that if this keeps up we might lose him, but we can't blame ourselves."

Heath shook his head. "Where do you come up with this psycho babble anyways?"

I obviously managed to change Heath's train of thought. I shrugged, "Seen and heard a lot about this kind of stuff back in Melbourne."

"Well ya doing a good job of keeping us together when Brax and I needed a way to understand all this."

I nodded and gave a smile. Heath picked up the scalpel blade on the table. "You'd think something like this would hurt wouldn't ya? I mean look at the blade on this thing. I always knew Casey was tough but this does my head in."

Heath tossed the blade back onto the table and went to the fridge grabbing a drink before sitting down on the couch.

**NORMAL POV**

Brax had walked down towards the surf club and was looking out at the ocean when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey Brax, how is young Casey?" John Palmer asked.

"Um...yeah...he's still...getting there." Brax replied hesitantly.

"It's good to hear he is back at home with his family and not in hospital, hey?"

"Yeah." Brax replied.

"Hey you alright mate, you seem a bit lost." John questioned at Brax's quiet demeanor.

"Yeah sorry, I'm just really worried about Casey." Brax turned to face John.

"Woah that's quite a shiner you got there, what happened?" John asked, upon seeing Brax's bruised jaw.

"I got into a row with Casey." John raised his eyebrows.

"That's not like Casey. I hope he comes to his senses." John commented.

"So do I." Brax replied and started to walk back home.

* * *

><p><strong>CASEY'S POV<strong>

Brax had just left my room and I turned around in shock at what I had just done. I couldn't believe I had actually hit Brax. That just proved my point all along, I was cold at heart. I shut my bedroom door and turned the lock. I felt so sick to my stomach.

I grabbed my unopened blade and stared at it in my hand. I knew what I had to do to fix this. I sat down on the floor with a cloth in my hand and my blade and made the necessary marks on my left arm to rid my mind of the guilt, pain, and hatred I was feeling.

I eventually lay down and watched the blood streaming down my arm as I let the tears fall from my eyes.

I startled back to reality about an hour later when I heard a knock on my door, waking me from my resting sleep that I had fallen into, after I became lost in my emotions.

"Case?" I heard Brax's voice and quickly sat up.

The blood on my arms had now dried so I wiped my arm clean and pulled on a clean shirt.

"Case are you okay in there?" Brax's voice was soft.

I sat in a daze for a moment. Brax was asking if I was okay? I was the one that punched him. Then I realised, maybe I was starting to see some connection here.

"Yeah I'm okay." I called out, my voice cracking as I did.

I stood up and opened the door to see Brax looking at me concerned. I could see the bruise on his jaw and instantly felt guilty again.

"Case what did I tell ya about keeping ya door open mate?" Brax asked me quietly.

I was still feeling numb over my realisation about Brax before I answered.

"Um...Yeah sorry." I whispered.

Brax nodded and turned to leave. "Brax?"

Brax turned to listen to me. "I...I'm sorry I punched you."

Brax gave one of his silent approval nods. "Kyle has gone out to get us some pizza if you want to come out for some." Brax told me.

"Yeah maybe." I replied quietly with a nod before he left down the hall with me watching him.

I rubbed my freshly injured arm and felt the prickling sting of the cuts as I again fell into my thoughts. After everything that has happened, Brax still wanted to look out for me, maybe things didn't have to change as much as I thought they did.


	29. Opening up

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Sorry for the late update, enjoy and please let me know what you think. :)**

**Chapter 29 - Opening up **

**NORMAL POV**

Casey's discovery of who he was had slowly been getting better as the days progressed, he still kept withdrawn and cut on occasion when the overwhelming thoughts rushed through him again.

Heath, Kyle, and Brax didn't push Casey to talk but allowed him to feel comfortable enough that he occasionally would talk to them, not so much about how he was feeling but just general conversation, but the brothers were pleased that Casey seemed to have made some progress and was looking on the mend for good.

Heath and Brax were getting ready to go for a surf, Kyle had gone to work and Casey was sitting at the kitchen table munching on some packet chips.

"Hey Case you wanna come?" Heath asked. Casey looked up from the table.

"I don't feel like surfing." Casey whispered.

Heath and Brax exchanged a glance. It wasn't like Casey to turn down a surf.

"Come on Case, you don't have to surf, just come to the beach with us. Heath and I would really benefit from your company." Brax added.

Casey sighed and stood up from the table. The fresh air might actually do him some good anyway he thought.

Heath ran out into the surf. "Hey you coming big fella?" Heath called.

"Nah mate, you go ahead." Brax called back.

Brax went and sat down on the sand next to Casey.

"You should go out, don't worry about me. I'm fine Brax." Casey said.

"I know...but I want you to know that you can talk to me Case. Have you got anything on your mind that you want to talk about?" Brax asked caringly.

Casey sighed. He was trying to fight his negative feelings so hard and believe he still shared a relationship with Brax, Heath, and Kyle, lately he had been winning and the first time since the revelation Casey started to open up about his feelings.

"Things are just so different, ya know? It's just so hard, knowing my life was a complete lie."

Brax placed a gently hand on Casey's shoulder. "Not everything Case. You still have Heath, Kyle and me. Don't you forget that."

"Brax can I tell you something?" Casey whispered and Brax gave a nod.

"Before I went to hospital and the first time I got drunk...I saw Andy." Casey whispered and stopped.

Brax clenched his fists, Andy he should have known he was the reason that pushed Casey over the edge.

"Did Andy say something to you?" Brax demanded. Casey sat silent.

"Case what did Andy say to you?"

Casey sighed. "He said I was a mistake and that I wasn't wanted in your family or anywhere and taunted how I wasn't a Braxton." Casey whispered.

Brax fumed, there was never any doubt Casey wasn't a Braxton even if he didn't have the same name. Brax felt like he could punch his fist through Andy's face right now, but he had to keep his temper in check, the last thing he wanted was for Casey to feel pressured by his emotions. He had to stay calm for Casey.

"Casey don't think for a minute what Andy said is the truth, understand?" Brax said in a soft but firm tone. Casey shrugged, wishing it was that easy.

Casey was about to pour more of his heart out to Brax when who should walk up the beach but Andy. Josh had told Andy about Casey's self injury that he saw, when he had gone to hospital and Andy just could not wait to have another thing to use against the Braxtons.

"Hey Emo boy! Been rejuvenating ya red blood cells lately?" Andy laughed as he approached Casey and Brax on the sand and motioned a cutting action on his arm.

Casey turned away feeling withdrawn.

"Back off Andy and shut your mouth!" Brax yelled, getting into a standing position, fighting all urge to knock Andy clean out.

"Ah come on. You can tell ya big brother. What's it like Casey, being some kind of weirdo that cuts themselves? Do you really think that is going to erase everything?" Andy laughed.

Brax couldn't control his temper anymore and landed a hefty punch to Andy's jaw, knocking him to the ground before landing a few more punches.

"How dare you say those things to Casey! I suggest you watch your back Andy!" Brax breathed heavily and stood up.

Andy rubbed his sore and bleeding chin and stood up. By now Heath had run up the sand and had seen Andy Barrett yelling and fighting with his brothers.

"Oi! What do you think ya doing Barrett? Get lost!"

"Well if it isn't protective Braxton number two." Andy taunted in a quiet tone.

"You get the hell out of here Barrett before I smash your face in too!" Heath warned.

Andy smirked and continued his taunting. "Casey I don't want you as my brother anymore than what you should exist, so next time do everyone a favor and aim right next time, so you'll be nobody's problem, if you get my drift. It's priceless how you two still fend for Casey, knowing he ain't fully ya family."

Andy turned to Heath and Brax as he finished. Andy's comment angered the brothers again.

"Don't you dare say that about my little brother!" Heath yelled.

"I'll kill you Barrett! My baby brother is not some person you can toy with! It's your fault he's hurting!" Brax yelled and this time Heath took a swing at Andy, knocking him in the jaw.

Andy righted himself again and laughed Heath's punch off, only angering Heath more, causing him to lunge at Andy again. Brax turned around to see Casey at the top of the beach, he stopped being part of the fight and yelled to Heath.

"Heath! Heath!"

Heath stopped and looked at his brother gesturing towards the top of the beach, to where Heath saw Casey. Heath pulled away from Andy, breathing heavily.

"Had enough have we?" Andy taunted. Brax gave a heavy sigh.

"Andy get the hell away from us and don't ever let me see you near my Casey again or I swear I will kill you." Brax threatened, raising his eyebrows.

Andy rubbed his jaw and backed away. "Have it your way Braxtons, but you won't stop seeing me around." Andy smirked and walked off.

Brax and Heath quickly ran up the beach following their younger brother. They reached Casey just in time for him to have gotten to the doorway of the gym.

"Casey are you alright?" Brax asked.

"Just leave me alone Brax." Casey mumbled.

Great all the hard effort to finally get Casey talking this morning and he's reverted back to shutting everyone out, Brax thought.

"Don't listen to that jerk Case, he's just trying to rile ya up." Heath said with encouragement.

"If he comes near you again he'll end up in hospital." Heath added.

Casey turned away. "Don't Heath."

"Don't what Case?" Brax asked.

"Don't go after Andy, he's right." Casey whispered.

"No he's not Casey! Don't you go saying that!" Brax argued in a firm tone.

"Brax is right, you've got a good heart, and you don't deserve this." Heath added, but Casey only moved away distraught.

Brax placed a hand on his shoulder. "Come on Case, let's go home."

Casey shrugged Brax's hand off. "I ah...just have to get something I left in the gym." Casey said wearily.

Heath and Brax shared a quizzical look, what Casey had just said did not sound right.

"I'll be out quick." Casey continued, seeing the looks on Brax and Heath's face.

Brax still was not convinced. "I'll come with you."

"No. I'll just be a minute." Casey replied quickly, giving a weak smile.

He did not want his brothers to follow him, he had to escape the world around him. Brax gave a nod in return not wanting to push his brother after he had come so far with his recovery.

"We'll wait out here for ya Case, but don't keep us waiting too long." Heath smiled, giving Casey a playful punch in the arm.

"Yeah." Casey replied quietly with a fake smile, knowing he had to do what he felt was right.

Walking into the gym Casey made sure no-one was around and quietly locked the door. This was it. The final time he was going to make everything right.


	30. I can't do it

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Thank you to those who are leaving reviews and reading. I really appreciate it. **

**Enjoy. :)**

**Chapter 30 – I can't do it**

**CASEY'S POV**

I walked into the gym and flicked the lights off except the one for the office. I slumped down against one of the pieces of equipment. I felt so much pain and anger run through me. I couldn't take it anymore. I tried to get through this but it just wasn't working.

I pulled my blade out of my wallet and started slicing small, thin, cuts over my arms, letting the pain and anger out. I didn't care anymore. Andy was right I should have done this properly the first time. I stared at my wrist and held the blade against it, hovering over the blue vein under the skin. My hand was shaking and I had tears falling down my face. I had a job to do but my body wasn't co-operating with my mind. All I could think was, _just do it, _but my hand kept pulling back. Why did this have to be so hard?

**NORMAL POV**

Ten minutes had passed and Brax and Heath started to worry that Casey had not come out of the gym yet.

"What's taking him so long?" Heath asked.

Alarm bells suddenly ran through Brax's mind and he rushed to open the door, but found it locked.

"Damn it! He locked the door! Casey! Casey! Open this door now!" Brax yelled as he banged on the door, but received no response.

Seeing his older brother's panic, Heath followed suit and bashed on the door also.

"Casey! Open up or I'm gonna bust it in and kick your butt into next week! Casey, you hear me?!" Heath yelled.

Brax banged on the door again. "Casey I mean it! Don't be in there doing something stupid, okay mate! We can get through this. Just please open the door!" Brax yelled.

They were interrupted by John Palmer who was walking by. "Oi what's going on here with all the yelling?" He asked.

Brax turned around to face John. "Casey's locked himself in the gym and we think he might me in there hurting himself...or worse." Brax explained.

John rushed to grab his spare keys to the gym out of his pocket. "Geez, I didn't realise Casey was that bad."

"Well he is Palmer so hurry up!" Heath snapped as John went to unlock the door.

As soon as John moved away Heath and Brax barged through the door.

"Casey!" They both yelled in unison and rushed into the gym.

Upon hearing only silence, Brax stopped Heath, not wanting him to see anything unbearable.

"I'll go." Brax said quietly though fear, for what he would find.

"You boys okay?" John yelled from the entrance.

"Yeah, we got it. Thanks Palmer!" Heath yelled as he waited for Brax to get back.

**BRAX'S POV**

I walked cautiously towards the main room of the gym, utterly terrified at what I would find. I hoped I was not going to see my baby brother dead.

"Casey? Casey? Where are you?" I called out.

I suddenly stopped when I saw Casey sitting on the floor of the gym. I squint my eyes in the dark and noticed him looking quiet and he was holding something in his hand, against his wrist.

Stepping closer I saw he was holding a blade to his wrist.

"Casey!"

I went to run towards him but he stared up at me and I could see tears running down his face, it was hard with the dim light but they were there.

"Don't! Move any closer and I'll do it!" He shouted at me.

Fear running through my body at the thought as Casey pressed the blade against his wrist again, his hand shaking.

"Okay. Okay." I said as calmly as I could muster and held my hands up in a surrender, hoping he would realise I was not going to push him.

There was silence while I just stared at my broken brother, holding the blade shakily against his wrist. I could tell he was hesitant. He eventually let out a heavy sob and glanced up at me.

"Brax I can't do it! I want to but I just can't do it!" Casey cried.

I slowly stepped forward not saying a word.

"Brax? Do you remember when you took me to school for the first time?" Casey spoke.

"Yeah, of course, I would never forget it." Casey took a heavy breath and continued.

"You waited by the gate with me until I was ready to go in because I was so scared...then you told me I had nothing to be afraid of because you wouldn't let anything make me feel scared."

I sat down next to Casey and listened attentively while he was turning the blade in his fingers. Casey glanced at me.

"Well I'm scared now Brax. I can't deal with knowing you and Heath aren't my real brothers. This is worse than the time you rescued me from that robbery with Danny...and as for that I can't accept the fact that I'm a cold blooded murder! I deserve to die Brax! I can't do this! I just can't!" Casey yelled distressed and gripped the blade so tightly in his hand until I saw a trickle of blood seep through his hand.

I grabbed his hand and took the blade out. He was still staring in a daze. I grabbed his face in my hand and forced him to look at me.

"Casey don't you ever say that! You do not deserve to die and you are not some cold hearted murder!" I yelled at him.

"Casey I raised you and you mean everything to me. You are my brother and the most kind-hearted person I know, so don't you ever think different ya understand?" I warned him.

Tears fell down his face and he slowly nodded at me. I grabbed his upper arm and stood up.

"Come on, let's go. Heath's probably waiting to tear this place down to see if you're okay."

I helped him up and walked with him outside of the gym.

**NORMAL POV**

Heath stood frustrated with his back facing the doorway of the gym and his hands in his hair. He turned to see Casey and Brax exit the gym and ran up to them.

"Geez Casey! What the hell are you doing?" Heath yelled, but Brax waved him off.

"Heath don't, I got it." Heath shook his head at Casey.

"I'm glad you didn't do anything stupid Case." Heath added in a whisper, Casey only nodding in response.

The three brothers then walked back home to where they found Kyle sitting on the couch after his shift had finished.

"Hey guys, how was the beach?" Kyle asked.

"Don't go there mate." Brax replied. "Huh?" Kyle questioned.

Casey wandered into the kitchen to get himself a drink and Brax filled Kyle in on what had happened.

"Woah, Is Casey alright?" Kyle asked quickly.

"Yeah I talked some sense into him before he got too far." Brax added.

The three brothers turned to Casey as he exited the kitchen.

"You okay?" Brax asked and Casey gave a weak smile.

"Yeah." Casey was now seeing the truth about who was his real family.


	31. Counseling

**Chapter 31 – Counseling **

**NORMAL POV**

After his rock bottom altercation at the gym Casey had opened up to Brax, Heath and Kyle and felt a sense of relief having talked to them about how he was really feeling and admitted he needed extra help. It wasn't until Casey asked to see a counselor that the brother's realised Casey was taking his first steps to making his own recovery.

Brax took Casey to talk to Nate who set Casey up with a counselor on the hospital database. He was to go twice a week for one hour, in a small place just minutes from the main centre of Summer Bay.

**CASEY POV**

It was my second session with my counselor. The first session had only been an introduction session so she only focused on asking me about my history and discussing my issues. I still didn't feel right sitting in the quiet office room full of books and certificates.

Talking to a stranger just wasn't me, but I asked for this so I had to go through with it, at least stick it out for awhile.

"So Casey you chose to harm yourself instead of expressing your feelings and your file says you have been in hospital because of probable suicide attempts, but never has the hospital admitted you for suicide watch so they must not have seen it as serious.

Reason with me Casey. What are you really thinking? You are not going to ever commit suicide because that is not what is happening here. I believe you are just frustrated with trying to find your feet and your problems go further deeper into your history than this present time."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing the counselor was telling me I would never think about pulling the plug. I was getting angry that she was making me think things that weren't right I did have these feelings. I felt sick and just wanted to get away, but as they say you have to act the way people want you to feel. I gave the counselor a weak smile.

"Yeah I guess you're right, it's just all in my head."

"Now how is your relationship with these men you live with? I understand you grew up with two of them."

I nodded. "Brax and Heath."

"And what have their influences made on you."

"They've done a lot for me growing up."

"Is that what you've been conditioned to think or the truth?"

I sat confused, now she was making me question even further into my past.

"I will let you think on that and tell me in the next session, but your self harm is not from this current issue about your father, it comes from your past. We will discuss this further in the session next week."

I nodded and stood up. I felt miserable. Just when I thought I had my brothers back this woman was making me doubt all that again. I didn't get far from the building before I stopped by a toilet cubicle and pulled out a razor I took from the bathroom cupboard at home seeing as Brax had taken my remaining scalpel blade.

Staring at my hand I ran the blade across the outside and made a thick cut, trying to eliminate all the thoughts of today's counseling session. How was I going to get through several more?

I made a few more cuts on my hand and arm but found that it wasn't releasing as much of my emotion as it usually did. I cut deeper but still the thoughts didn't seem to be going away. I didn't understand it, why wasn't it helping? Why wasn't I getting that sense of relief?

I let out a heavy sigh, seeing the blood drip down against the brim of the toilet. I cleaned up my cuts and left to head home.

I walked through the door and saw Kyle sitting on the couch going through some books for the restaurant.

"Hey Casey how was your session?" He asked me.

I glanced at him and gave a weak smile and tried to hide my hand.

"Casey is something wrong?" Kyle stopped his paperwork and approached me.

"It's nothing really." I mumbled.

"Casey what happened to your hand? What did you do?" I turned away shamefully. "Did you hurt yourself again? Show me."

I held out my hand and showed Kyle the cuts I had done. "Case why'd you do it? I thought your counselor was helping you with this?"

I shrugged. "Come on Case, just sit down. We can talk if you want or we can just sit together." Kyle guided me to the couch and sat down next to me.

**KYLE POV**

As soon as Casey walked through the door I noticed a broken look on his face and the way he was covering his hand, something just didn't seem right. I sat next to him in silence for a while, focusing back on the banking paperwork for the restaurant, just letting him know I was there for him. It didn't take long before he spoke and I turned all my attention onto him.

"I feel so confused."

"About what?" I asked quietly.

Casey gave me a quick look before turning back to his hands. "My counselor keeps telling me how I should be feeling and making me believe that my issues aren't just from me finding out about my Dad. I don't know I just feel like it's not helping and only making me feel worse, but I don't want to let Brax down after he's done so much to help me with this."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Case you could never do that, but if you're not happy with who you're talking to you have to arrange to see another counselor. Sometimes different counselors work for different people. You need to find the right one for you." I explained to him and he glanced up at me.

"Look when Brax comes back from work today we can talk to him, and he can help you get someone else." I smiled at Casey and gently rubbed his shoulder.

"Thanks Kyle." Casey replied quietly.

* * *

><p><strong>NORMAL POV<strong>

Brax walked through the door and saw Kyle sitting on the couch still going through paperwork. "Hey mate?"

"Hey how was work?"

Brax rolled his eyes. "The usual, gets the busy rush then slows for the afternoon."

Kyle nodded and gave a sigh. "Brax there's something you should know about Casey."

Brax raised his eyebrows. "He came back from his counselor session today with more cuts."

Before Brax could respond Casey appeared in the doorway. "Casey." Brax greeted.

"I heard you guys talking..." Casey whispered.

"Casey, Kyle told me you hurt yourself again." Casey looked away and Brax approached him and pulled his face up to look at him.

"Hey, I want you to talk to me before you go and cut yourself again, promise me." Brax said firmly.

Casey nodded. "Sorry." Casey whispered.

"You don't need to be sorry just careful." Brax squeezed Casey's shoulder.

"Brax...I need to tell you something." Casey asked quietly.

"Of course Casey." Brax guided Casey over to the couch and the both took a seat.

"What's wrong?"

**CASEY'S POV**

I quickly glanced at Brax before I began to tell my story. "Brax, I know you want me to get better, but this counselor..."

Brax reached out and held my hand. "It's okay Case, take your time."

"This counselor, I'm not coping..." I explained.

"What do you mean Case?"

I couldn't seem to answer anymore though I wanted to. The words just wouldn't come out of my mouth, so I was relieved when Kyle came to my aid.

"Casey means that the counselor is making him feel like he has to doubt his past and telling him how he should be feeling." Kyle explained.

I only gave a nod and looked away ashamed.

"Is that what triggered you to hurt yourself today, because of your confusions?" Brax asked me.

I gave a shrug. "I guess...I've really been trying Brax."

"Hey Case, this isn't your fault. I'll take you back to the hospital and we can talk to Nate and see if we can get you someone else." Brax said as he gently squeezed my hand.

"The important thing is not to give up. Come on." Brax grabbed my arm and helped me up and I followed him out to his car as we drove to the hospital.

**NORMAL POV**

"What's happened?" Nate asked as he noticed Casey and Brax walking down the corridor of the hospital.

"The counselor you set Casey up with is just making things worse and seems to be messing with his head. He came back from his session today and had cut himself."

Nate nodded. "Alright let me have a look at the injuries and then I'll see if I can set you up with someone else Casey."

With his hand on Casey's back, Brax gently pushed Casey into a consult room after Nate.

Nate checked over Casey's new injuries and patched them up. "They will heal fine, but they will scar like the others."

Casey shrugged. It didn't matter to him the scarring would just be a reminder of what he had battled. Nate handed Casey a piece of paper with a number and address on it.

"This counselor is highly qualified and has specialised in people with Casey's issues."

Casey held the paper in his hand.

"Thanks Nate." Brax replied and Nate gave a nod and left the room.

"Okay Case, let's go home."

**BRAX'S POV**

A few days later I picked Casey up from his first session with his new counselor. This one was situated in the next town and Casey needed a ride to get to and from his sessions. Casey climbed in the passenger side of the car and I saw he had a small smile.

"Case, how'd it go?" I asked.

"It was good Brax. She was really nice and listened to how I was feeling and didn't make me feel like I should be someone I'm not. She even told me a few techniques to help manage my feelings."

I smiled at my baby brother and squeezed his shoulder. "That's great news Casey."

Heath and Kyle were inside when we arrived home. "Hey guys." Kyle greeted. "Hey squirt, big fella." Heath added.

Casey sat down on the couch next to Heath and Kyle. Heath wrapped his arm around Casey's shoulder.

"You feeling good Case?"

"Yeah Heath I am." Casey replied.

"See I told you, you just had to find the right counselor to help you." Kyle said.

I grabbed myself a beer and joined my brothers on the couch. I watched Casey glance at the three of us in turn.

"My counselor says that it might take some time before I will be back to normal again."

"Eh, who wants to be normal? Just be yourself." Heath smiled and gave Casey a nudge.

Casey smiled and I was beginning to see my Casey turning back to his old self again.


	32. Understandings

**Chapter 32 -** **Understandings**

**NORMAL POV**

Casey walked into the kitchen while Kyle and Brax were having breakfast and Kyle was getting ready for work. Heath had gone back to his own place with Bianca.

"Morning mate." Brax greeted.

"Hey Case. How are you feeling?" Kyle asked.

"I'm okay." Casey gave a weak smile. "Um Brax, I was thinking...with all these counseling sessions...I think I've got a clear enough head to find out the truth...I want to find out about my real father, so I was thinking of talking to Mum."

Kyle and Brax both gave a look of surprise, especially since Casey was adamant he didn't want anything to do with her.

"Case you sure? I mean are you really ready for that?" Brax asked.

"Yeah Brax, I think I am. I need to know, so I can finish dealing with this." Casey replied.

"Okay, let me just grab my keys and I'll take you over to Mum's." Casey nodded and grabbed a slice of toast before following Brax towards the door.

"See ya tonight mate." Brax called out to Kyle.

"See ya. Be careful Casey." Kyle replied and watched his brothers head out the door.

Brax pulled up outside Cheryl's place in Mangrove River. "You're absolutely sure you wanna do this Case?" Brax asked.

Casey nodded. "Yeah."

"Okay, well I'll be with you every step of the way mate." Brax gave Casey's arm a tight squeeze.

"Thanks Brax."

Brax and Casey stood on Cheryl's doorstep waiting for her to open the door. Brax banged on the door for a second time.

"Yeah alright! I'm comin', I'm bloody coming'!" Cheryl groaned and opened the door.

"Darryl? Casey?" Cheryl greeted.

"Hi Mum." Brax spoke as Casey quickly turned away.

"What brings you two here?" She asked.

Brax walked inside the house with his hand gently on Casey's back to comfort him. "Casey needs to talk to you about Johnny."

Cheryl stared at Casey and nodded. "How have you been?" She asked, not expecting an answer from Casey.

"It's been really hard, I haven't been coping Mum. I really need to know the whole truth."

Cheryl turned away, not exactly sure how she was going to explain all this again, especially to her son that hated her.

"Mum, you need to do this for Casey so he can move on." Brax said.

"Mum, I'm sorry for how I treated you. I was angry and hurt at being lied to my whole life." Casey added.

Cheryl shook her head. "It's me who should be apologising Casey. I shouldn't have said those things to you. I still don't understand how you could have hurt yourself like that with your arms, but you are still my special baby and I will always love you."

Cheryl approached Casey and gently touched his face. "Sit down so we can talk. Darryl will you give us a moment?" Cheryl asked.

Brax nodded and tapped Casey on the back. "You okay mate?" Casey nodded.

"Okay, I'll just be outside if you need me." Brax turned and left the room.

Cheryl encouraged Casey towards the couch where he sat down and Cheryl sat on an opposite chair looking at him. Cheryl gently took Casey's hand in hers.

"Casey, I have never regretted my decision to cheat on Danny with your father. Even though I knew the risks...I fell in love with Johnny...He wasn't the crook everyone made him out to be...You have his eyes and his smile and every time I look at you it just reminds me of the one man I ever truly loved."

Casey was taking in everything Cheryl was telling him.

"If Danny had known you weren't his son he would have killed you Casey and he would have made me watch then killed me too. I couldn't let that happen. I did what I did to protect you and the family. Johnny did love you, even though he only saw you one time when Danny was off on a drug-dealing, business trip down the coast, that's why I had to give him a photo of you, so he could always remember his son he couldn't watch grow up."

Casey glanced up at his mother, registering everything she had said. "Please Casey talk to me."

"I get why you had to keep it a secret but..."

"Casey you're my son and I love you, and Darryl and Heath love you. I'm sorry you had to go through all this, but to keep the son I loved so much safe I had to do what I did."

Casey stood up. "Thanks Mum."

He still felt a little numb and not sure how to take the truth. He did feel some sense of relief. Cheryl stroked her hand over Casey's face.

"You just make sure you listen to ya brother out there and let him help you. He'll go to the end of the earth for you." She spoke softly.

Brax walked back into the room after not hearing any talking for a while.

"We're finished Darryl." Cheryl said as she turned to face Brax.

Brax nodded. "You okay Case?"

Casey stood in silence for a moment. "Yeah."

"Bye Mum." Brax said as he headed out towards the door, tapping Casey's arm as he went past.

"Bye Mum." Casey whispered.

Cheryl closed the door behind them and Casey and Brax got into Brax's car and drove home.

"So you get some questioned answered?" Brax asked.

"Yeah, I guess, now I have to get my head around everything else." Casey replied quietly.

Brax smiled at Casey and rubbed his shoulder as they pulled up in the driveway. "You have me and ya brothers here to support ya the whole way."

"Yeah, I know that now." Casey smiled and headed off to his bedroom to think.


End file.
